Obituary of Nicholas L. Jones

Nicholas Loftin Jones, son of Charles and Mary Loftin Jones, was born on March 24, 1935 in Indianapolis, Indiana and died in Rochester, New York on September 11, 2017. He is survived by his beloved wife of fifty-seven years, Susan Hart Jones, his children Geoffrey and wife Lisa Jones, Michael Jones, Elizabeth Newton and husband Adam, Katherine Jones and wife Renee Tripp, his nine grandchildren William, Charles, Nathan, Elias, Owen, Brannon, Collin, Kate, and Kris, as well as his sister Nancy Madison and husband Edward and family. Nick graduated from Shortridge High School in Indianapolis in 1953. He received his Bachelor of Arts from DePauw University in 1957. He was the president of his fraternity Phi Kappa Psi and editor of the school newspaper and yearbook. He received his Master of Arts in English from Ohio University in 1962. His first professional career position was as state editor of the Indianapolis News from 1960-1966. After working as the Assistant to the General Manager of the Indianapolis Symphony, Nick and family moved to Rochester in 1970, where he became the General Manager of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra from 1970-1976. Nick then had a long, distinguished career in public relations and development with Strong Hospital, St. John's Home, and Fairport Baptist Home. He was a dedicated adjunct college professor, teaching at Rochester Institute of Technology for forty years beginning in 1977. Since 2003, Nick also taught at Genesee Community College. He was a man of letters, had a deep seated passion for teaching, and was incredibly devoted to his students. Nick was a man of strong faith. He was a member of St. Thomas Episcopal Church for nearly fifty years, serving as Senior Warden, Junior Warden, and various Vestry leadership positions. He was a member of the Board of Trustees in the Episcopal Diocese of Rochester from 1998-2007. He was a regular usher, reader, and chalice bearer to the present day. Dedicated to helping others, Nick served on the Board of Directors for the Center for Disability Rights since 2011. Additionally, he was a member of the Board of Directors for the Regional Center for Independent Living from 2005-2009. He was a dedicated, loyal, and committed husband who found joy throughout his fifty-seven years of marriage to Susie. They met at Ohio University and were married on June 25, 1960 at Christ Church, Shaker Heights, Ohio. Nick was a devoted family man who never missed a child's or grandchild's hockey, soccer, or softball game, ballet performance, orchestra concert, or theater production. He was a man of tremendous interests and instilled in his children the love of music, literature, polite English television and other BBC productions, Monty Python, classical music, bagpipes, the Stones, jazz, and endless cross country road trips. He was a man equally at home quoting Shakespeare and rooting for Hoosier basketball. He loved his four-legged companions Sugar, Ralph, and Meggie. He was incredibly loyal to his friends throughout the years and will be greatly missed by all who knew him. A memorial service will be held at St. Thomas' Episcopal Church, 2000 Highland Avenue, Rochester, New York 14618 on Saturday, September 23, 2017 at 11:00 AM. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Nick's name to the Episcopal Relief and Development Fund, 815 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10017.