Donald Ernest Jones

In loving memory of Donald E. Jones, who passed away January 22, 2017 at the age of 90, due to complications from brain surgery following a fall at home.  Don was born in Spokane, WA on March 21, 2916 to parents Robert and Pearl Jones.  He moved to Seattle as a young child and lived in the Ravenna neighborhood.  He enlisted in the Navy on March 20, 1944 and graduated from Roosevelt High School in June 1944.  While roller skating in 1946, he met Marilyn Joyce Jones, and they were married on March 28, 1947.  They were happily married for 69 years, and had four wonderful children together.

Don worked as a letter carrier while attending Roosevelt High School, as the postal service experienced a shortage of workers since so many men were serving their country in World War II.  After graduating from high school, he served in the military as a US Navy signalman.  He finished his career as a salesman for Bill Hatch Sporting Goods, where he was thrilled to have Alaska as part of his territory.

Don had many special interest and hobbies! He enjoyed playing the drums in the National Association of Letter Carriers' Band at conventions throughout the country.  He also loved athletics!  He played badminton for decades, and started playing tennis and pickleball when he was 50.  He was a co-owner of The Gallery Racquet Club and a member of the Four Seasons Tennis Club (now named Columbia Athletic Club, Silver Lake).  He coached a women's tennis team at the Columbia Athletic Club for three years, guiding them from last place to first place in their league, and he also coached the men's tennis team at Shoreline Community College.  He directed hundreds of badminton and tennis tournaments, and coached a junior badminton program for 20 years.  He also coached family members and friends on women's and co-ed softball teams for years, including Hattie's Hat, Kirby and KOMO.  He loved parades, ballgames and family get-togethers.

Don was inducted into the Pacific Northwest Basketball Officials Association (PNWBOA) Hall of Fame in 2011, and officiated basketball and football games for 28 years.  He was a founder of the Pacific Northwest Athletic Roundtable (PNART), an association of men and women dedicated to athletics as an important part of total education program, making our area a better place to live.  Some of Don's favorite experiences included refereeing Harlem Globetrotters games and pre-season camps for the Seattle SuperSonics.  He also loved traveling to Alaska to referee the Juneau Lions Club Gold Medal Basketball Tournament, where he was a celebrity!

Don was a Wallingford Boys & Girls Club Board Member, instrumental in getting the gumnasium built for future generations to enjoy.  He was also a counselor for the Methodist Youth Fellowship (MYF) group at Ronald United Methodist Church for many years. His family was the Seattle Post-Intelligencer's Sports Family of the Year in 1967.  And, in his spare time, he and Joyce loved cruising and ballroom dancing.

For the last 5 1/2 years, Don lived at Foundation House in Bothell, now named Woodland Terrace, and he enjoyed the many new friends he met there.  People loved to be around Don because of his fun-loving, kind, and easy-going personality.  Forever a peacemaker with a great sense of humor, he was loved by everyone who knew him.

Even though Don was involved in many activities throughout his life, his number one priority was his family. He is survived by his wife Joyce; children Bruce Jones (Melinda), Bob Jones (Kathy), Sandi Stewart and Sheri Leonard; grandchildren Steve Jones (Jane), Marc Jones, Katie Schuette (Adam), Ryan Jones, Kurt Leonard and Kristi Leonard; great-grandchildren Barrett Jones, Joshua Schuette and Amelia Schuette; as well as other extended family members. He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Pearl Jones, and brother Eugene Jones.

A celebration of Don's life will be held at Ronald United Methodist Church on Sunday, January 29 at 2:00 pm.  If you'd like to make a donation to a charity in Don's name, he requested they be made to Ronald United Methodist Church or World Vision.