Marion was born on Thursday, July 18, 1929, in Oak Park, Illinois to Merrill and Gertrude Friend Austin. She attended public schools in Chicago and graduated from Wayland Academy in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. She received a BA degree in theater and music from Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois and was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma. On August 12, 1950, she was united in marriage to F. Addison Jones in Chicago, Illinois. The couple lived in various areas before moving to Grinnell in 1954. The family owns and operates the Grinnell State Bank and she was currently serving on the bank's board of directors. Besides being a busy homemaker, mother and grandmother, she devoted her free time to Grinnell Regional Medical Center's auxiliary and the Grinnell Community Theatre as an actress and director. She spent countless hours working in the hospital's gift shop and helped organize several social functions that benefited the hospital. Marion was a long-time member of the United Church of Christ-Congregational and served in various roles in the women's fellowship of the church. She was past president of Grinnell Regional Medical Center's board of directors and had served as secretary to the board of directors of the Grinnell State Bank. She also was a member of the Priscilla Club, PEO and various bridge clubs. Survivors include her husband, F. Addison Jones of Grinnell; three sons, Stephen F. Jones, David A. (Lori Tucker) Jones and F. Austin (Kim) Jones, all of Grinnell; seven grandchildren; seven great grandchildren; and one cousin, Bob Friend of Aurora, Colorado. She was preceded in death by her parents and her step-father, Harlan Thompson. Memorials may be directed to Grinnell Regional Medical Center, the Grinnell Area Arts Council or to Monmouth College.