JAMES DAVID JONES

James David Jones, 64, passed away Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2017. He was born, Feb. 7, 1953, to the late Jerry and June Jones. He was originally from Steele, but he made Sewanee his home over the last three decades. He was a retired managing editor or the Sewanee Theological Review, and his interests varied widely. Before coming to Sewanee, he went to school at Southwestern College (now Rhodes College) and Memphis State University (now University of Memphis) and worked as a Morse Code interpreter during his time with the army decoding encrypted Morse Code. While with Procter and Gamble, he helped develop the cellulose fiber used in diapers and surgical sponges today. An avid marathon runner, he ran the equivalent of around the world several times over. He was also a published poet. He taught his daughters how to love the mountains and nature, and to be thinkers and dreamers, to be brave women and to be curious and genuine human beings. Most of all, he was a kind and brilliant soul and an amazing, supportive father.

As it became clear his time was approaching, he and his daughters approached the day with grace, courage and so much love. He was in the hospital for a week with an infection. During that time, they shared beautiful moments and were able to communicate their love for him and his love for them. In the end, he was taken off dialysis, and they removed the breathing tube and made him very comfortable with a morphine drip (which surely he would have loved). His daughters were there with him to his very last heartbeat, passing gently into the beyond. It was heartbreaking and calm, peaceful and terrifying and overwhelmingly radiated with love clearly reciprocated.

Mr. Jones was preceded in death by his parents, Jerry and June Jones.

Survivors of Mr. Jones include two brothers, Joe and Jon of Steele; three daughters, Janet Armour Jones, Sarah (Mrs. Jonathan Campbell), and her two sons, Adam Jones Campbell and Aaron Jonathan Campbell, and Meg Armour Jones; five nieces, Jennifer, Amber, Jonna-Kay, Amanda and Lauren, all of Steele; Uncle Richard (Dick) and Aunt Dot of Smithville, Tenn., and a large number of cousins. He was loved very much by his family.