Albert M. "Al" Jones' Obituary
Albert M. “Al” Jones, Jr. passed away on Tuesday, August 2, 2022, after a short illness at the age of 82. He was born on June 1, 1940 in Danville, Pennsylvania to Albert M. “Bert” Jones, Sr. and Mary Leisenring Jones, both teachers who inspired a deep life-long love of reading and learning, which Al passed along to all of his children and grandchildren.
Albert is survived by his wife of 57 years, Melinda Woods Jones; sons, Albert M. “Rick” Jones, III, his wife Kat and grandson Jackson; and his son Robert “Chase” Jones, his wife Tricia and granddaughters, Ella and Eliza.
Albert was preceded in death by his parents.
In addition to teaching, Al’s father Bert was also a coach, and encouraged Al's athletic pursuits: from a high school basketball city championship in Philadelphia to college track career at Lehigh University, and eventually to a ten handicap in golf.
After graduating from Lehigh, Al earned a master's degree in Geology from Tulane University in New Orleans. While at Tulane, Al met Melinda (then at Newcomb) on a blind date. After graduation, they began their life together in New Orleans, with Al starting his career at Amoco Oil Company. He moved to Lafayette to join friends and colleagues at Dynamic Exploration. In Lafayette, Al and Melinda started a faithful involvement with the Episcopal Church, first at the Church of the Ascension and then with the launch of the Episcopal School of Acadiana. Later in life, he loved his time with his neighbors at Christwood and the entire congregation at Christ Episcopal Church in Covington.
Dynamic Exploration worked with projects across the Gulf South, so the company decided to get a small plane, and Al got his pilot’s license. Despite his parents’, and especially his in-laws’, misgivings, Al also started flying his growing family on vacations as far away as his hometown in Pennsylvania. These trips fueled a growing love of travel, but it was Melinda’s decision to take a sailing lesson in Hilton Head while Al was out golfing that really proved pivotal for the rest of their lives.
Her lesson quickly became joint lessons, and their single engine plane was traded in for their first single mast sailboat, the Gandalf, named for the family’s love of J.R.R. Tolkien. Al stepped away from Dynamic to become an independent consultant. Day trips on Lake Pontchartrain grew into weekends in the Gulf. Eventually, Al completely retired, and they moved first to Mandeville and then to Florida to better facilitate even longer trips, like sailing all the way up the east coast to spend summers on the Chesapeake Bay. Eventually they returned to the North Shore and the chance to be closer to grandchildren in New Orleans and in Texas.
Through it all, Al was a voracious reader, trading favorite authors back and forth with Rick and Chase. He usually read mysteries when reading fiction, or biographies and history when reading non-fiction, often all at the same time. Like track and golf, or flying and sailing, Al’s interests were often quiet and solitary. He was fiercely independent, but always a part of the communities that surrounded him. Despite not enjoying crowds, Al collected and maintained friendships at every port.
He was well respected and liked and will be deeply and dearly missed by all who knew and loved him.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to Christ Episcopal Church Endowment Fund, 129 North New Hampshire Street, Covington, LA 70433.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend the funeral service at Christ Episcopal Church, 120 North New Hampshire Street, Covington LA on Saturday, August 13, 2022 at 1:00 PM with visitation beginning at 12:30 PM until service time. A reception will follow the service.
E.J. Fielding Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements. Please sign the E.J. Fielding Funeral Home online Guest Book at www.ejfieldingfh.com.
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