Born January 15, 1935, she grew up in small town Kamloops with her sister Lani and close cousins and family around. The famous Jones girls that made their mark. She married her husband, Harry (Sonny) Faulkner, only a couple of years out of high school as she entered her nursing degree at the Royal Columbian Hospital. Sonny and her were inseparable for the next 60 years of their lives, raising two children during their journey, Tracey and Jayson. They lived in West Vancouver for a large part of their lives, then returned to Kamloops in the late eighties to be back near family, and then settling into Vernon for retirement.
Throughout her life, Iris was, as was her Mother, Grace Jones, a matriarch for the wider family. She was very well-read, open-minded about the world around her and accepting of people from all backgrounds. She was fierce about protecting her family and believed that family was the core of a happy and healthy life. Iris was also very, very proud of her grandchildren, whom she adored. There were many things she will be remembered for, in particular: her sense of humour, her ease with which she took up challenges in her life or for others, her deep love and care for her family and her wish that people be allowed to be the best that they can to reach their full potential. She had a clarity of intellect and grasp of world politics and affairs that belied extraordinary common sense. She had a spine made of chromium steel and could be a force of nature, but she was to many of us, the definition of feminine. Iris passed away on January 19th, 2015, in Kelowna, a sudden and very unexpected tragic turn of events.
She will be deeply missed by everyone who knew her and none more than her loving family and friends and most importantly, by her devoted and loving husband, Sonny.
