Jones said his grandfather handed him his first football and showed him how to play league as a youngster.
"He was the first person that got our family involved in league... he gave us all advice on footy," Jones, a Warriors and Kiwis star, said.
"We never got the chance to see him play ... but, because he played for New Zealand, we always thought: 'I want to be like my grandfather and play for our country as well'.
"I was fortunate enough to [play for New Zealand] and he was proud of what I did, and I was certainly honoured to follow in his footsteps."
The funeral is at Henderson on Tuesday.