GRANVILLE, MA – John Brooks Jones, 85, passed away peacefully at his home on Thursday, October 10, 2013 with his loving family at his side. Born in West Hartford, CT on January 14, 1928, he was a son of the late George and Elizabeth (Quelle) Jones.
John attended West Hartford Schools, and then went on to Northfield Mount Herman School in 1946. Upon graduation, he attended Kingswood School and Morse Business School of West Hartford and Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio. He was a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity while at Kenyon. In 1951, John married Joyce (Hiers) Jones of Granville and together they resided there the rest of their lives. John was employed by Kaman Aircraft from 1951-1952, then joined Noble and Cooley Drum Manufacturing of Granville, where he stayed for 50 years, retiring as President. John was on the Finance Committee in Granville for many years and was a longtime member of the Get Together Men’s Club of Westfield. He also was a member of the Porsche Club of America and a racetrack Drivers Ed Instructor for 10 years. In the 1960’s, John built and ran the Family Hill Ski Area and also designed and built the “Dippin Disk”, a skiing exerciser sold to shops for six years.
He leaves behind his loving wife of 62 years, Joyce Jones of Granville; four children, Elizabeth Smith and her husband Smitty of Granville, Jonathan Jones and his wife Carol of Granville, Virginia Chenoweth and her husband Cap of Stowe, VT and Matthew Jones and his wife Elizabeth of Granville; three grandchildren, Jon Jones and his wife Amy, Nicholas Jones and his wife Valerie and Kelsey Chenoweth; two great-grandsons, Jack and Will; two step-granddaughters, Stacy Smith and Kimberly Smith Ryan; a brother, Robert Jones and his wife Fay of Seattle, WA and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brothers, George of Traverse City, Michigan and William of East Hartland, CT.
A Celebration of John’s life will be held at a later date. Southwick Forastiere is entrusted with the arrangements.
Memorial donations may be made in John’s memory to the Granville Ambulance Fund, c/o Town Hall P.O. Box 247, Granville, MA 01034, or to the Noble & Cooley Center for Historic Preservation (NCCHP), 42 Water Street, Granville, MA 01034.
