* 7001 p 2.t-X c £ Self BERT JONES j , BUSINESSMAN /°7 DIED: SEPT. 6, 2006 Bert Jones, the man who drove a Belleville GM dealership to one of the top five in Canada in the early 1990s, died Sept. 6 at the age of 76. Jones' GM dealership was in the top five in sales nationally in 1991- 92, said friend Bob Clute, who bought the dealership when Jones decided to retire in late 1992. Originally from Stirling, Jones used to sell Blue Bird bus chassis in the 1960s. He took over the GM dealership in Madoc in 1973 and then his Belleville operation in 1982. He was a Second World War military buff and member of the Veterans Association who, about 20 years ago, took his sons -- Dan, Paul, Rob, Peter and Richard -- overseas to see the graves of Canadians. He was a longtime member of the Stirling Masonic Lodge #69 and the International Order of Odd FeUows, Madoc, Lodge #179. Clute wa$ impressed with Jones' business acumen. "He was a phenomenal busi- nessman (and an) extremely hon- est man," Clute said. "Bert was a very special guy." "You couldn't find a nicer guy to deal with," Clute said, acknowl- edging that he was emotional over Jones' death. "He did give me the opportuni- ty of a lifetime." He is survived by wife Cheryl and five sons.