John Leslie Emerson Jones

John Leslie Emerson Jones, 91, currently of Ravenna, Ohio, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, December 11, 2018 at University Hospital – Ravenna. John was born in Coal Grove, Ohio, on Jan 17, 1927, to Rev. Elbert Cecil Jones & Flossie Higgins. John’s ancestors were pioneers of Lawrence County, including Lucinda Webb Jones for whom Lucinda Church is named. After graduating high school at age 16, he entered the Army ASTRP program, taking college courses at West Virginia University and Michigan State University. Entering active duty in 1945, he trained as a medic, serving in Honshu during the occupation of Japan. He was an Atomic Veteran whose troopship visited Nagasaki Harbor in October, 1945. John married his high school sweetheart Isabel Sutton in June, 1945, and together they raised four children, Karen, Edward, Gail and Edwin. John’s deep Christian faith began with attendance at the churches Pastored by his father, and continued throughout his life, always finding a new church community everywhere he lived. After the war, John earned a B.S. in Chemistry in 1948 from Marshall University, and was a life-long loyal alumnus. John was a Lab Supervisor in the quality control department at Allied Chemical’s Barrett Division plant in Ironton for many years, before moving to Lake County, Ohio in 1966 to help to build a new PVC manufacturing facility for Allied in Fairport, Ohio. John and Isabel returned to Lawrence County in 1973, and built a retirement home in Kitts Hill, Ohio. He obtained a teaching certificate, and taught at Kitts Hill High School before returning to Allied Signal where he retired as an environmental engineer. He and wife Isabel were avid genealogists, spending many hours documenting Lawrence County Cemetery inscriptions. After Isabel’s death in 1985, John edited and published numerous pamphlets for the Lawrence County Genealogical Society (LCGS) about Lawrence County Cemetery Inscriptions. Along with his brother Archie Jones, he made significant contributions about the Jones family for the book “The Webb Family of Bearwallow Ridge”. As president of the LCGS, he worked to acquire and renovate the Gray House which now houses the Lawrence County Historical Museum. John was a member of Ohio First Families, Sons of the American Revolution, the Magna Carta Society, and the American Chemical Society. In his final years, John spent time in Lihue, Hawaii, Ripley, Ohio and Ravenna, Ohio. He especially appreciated his time with the Lihue Baptist Church, and remained deeply grateful for their support and fellowship during his time in Hawaii. Preceding him in death were his first wife, Isabel, his son Edwin, brothers Archie H. and Marvin C Jones, and his second wife Mary. He is survived by his daughter Karen (Alan) Balog of Ravenna, Ohio; son Edward (Natalie) Jones of Cincinnati, Ohio; Gail Jones-Nemeth (Gary) of Ravenna, Ohio, and grandchildren Craig Balog of Brookpark, Ohio; Andrew (Timea) Balog of Akron; Sarah Balog, of Orlando, Florida, and Diane Balog of Columbus; Patrick Jones of Austin, Texas; Brian Jones of Cincinnati; and Elizabeth Jones (John) Hass of Russellville, Ohio. Calling hours will be Saturday, Dec 15th at 1:00 pm at the Hall Funeral Home in Proctorville, Ohio, with funeral to follow immediately after at 2:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Cancer society. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.ehallfuneralhome.com.

John Leslie Emerson Jones

December 11, 2002 - December 11, 2018