TOPSHAM — The Rev. Donald N. Jones, 94, a resident of Topsham, passed away peacefully Wednesday morning, Feb. 1, at The Highlands in Topsham.
He was born Oct. 16, 1922, in Glens Falls, N.Y., the son of John J. and Marjorie Jones of West Pawlet, Vt. He was a graduate of Granville High School, Class of 1940. Following his college graduation from Gordon College, Boston, Mass., he served in the U.S. Army for two years. Donald then continued his education at Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pa., earning his Master of Divinity degree in 1950.
He married Anna Lourie on Aug. 19, 1950, in Rupert, Vt. His first church was the Second Baptist Church of Troy, N.Y., where he was ordained Nov. 12 that same year. In 1956, he enlisted as a chaplain in the U.S. Air Force serving at Bergstrom AFB, Texas; Ladd AFB, Fairbanks, Alaska; Richards-Gebaur AFB, Missouri; New York City, N.Y.; Taipei Air Station, Taiwan; Langley AFB, Virginia; Templehof Air Station West Berlin, Germany, and after 18 years, retired as a lieutenant colonel from Loring AFB, Maine, in 1974.
Later that year, they moved to Livermore Falls, where he served as pastor of the Livermore Falls Baptist Church and Moose Hill Baptist Church until “retiring” to the family homestead in West Pawlet, Vt. in 1988. There he served as an interim pastor for several churches including the United Baptist Church of Poultney.
He and Anna also were staff associates for visitation for the American Baptist Churches of Vermont and New Hampshire for several years, putting many miles on their car traveling around Vermont encouraging other pastors. In 2009, they moved back to Maine and settled at the Highlands in Topsham. He was a member of the United Baptist Church in Topsham, the Highlands Chorale and a former member of the Jay-Livermore Falls Rotary in Maine. He was also a member of the Poultney Area St. David’s Society, the Pawlet Historical Society, the Granville Area Chorus and a volunteer at the Mettawee Community School in Pawlet, Vt., where he spent time reading with the kids.
He enjoyed hiking, walking back roads, reading and he especially enjoyed singing to his wife every morning. He was a great man who served and loved the Lord and will be deeply missed by his family.
He is survived by his beloved wife of 66 years, Anna Jones of Topsham; his daughters, Linda Carrell and her husband, Robert, of Vassalboro, and Marjorie Jackson and her husband, Richard, of Newton, N.C.; two grandsons, Joshua Jackson, and Jonathan Jackson and his wife, Jessica; and one great-granddaughter, Mabrey Hope Jackson.
Messages of condolence may be sent to www.finleyfuneralhome.com.
Rev. Donald N. Jones
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