Obituaries
Wendell Jones, diplomat, banker

Apr 10, 2008

Wendell Harvey Jones of Ridgefield, a former diplomat and banker, died on April 4, 2008, at his home. Mr. Jones, 70, formerly of Redding, was the husband for 48 years of Barbara Johnson Jones.

Mr. Jones was born in LeSeuer, Minn., on July 21, 1937, the son of Harvey and Clara (Haas) Jones. While attending the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, he met his wife, Barbara. They were married in January 1960. After graduating from the university with a bachelor’s degree in history in 1960, he served as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1960 to 1963. In 1964, he obtained a bachelor’s of foreign trade from Thunderbird School of Global Management. 

In 1966, Mr. Jones joined the U.S. State Department as a foreign service officer. From 1967 through 1968 he served as vice counsel and second secretary at the American Embassy in Jidda, Saudi Arabia.

After returning to the United States, Mr. Jones pursued a career in international finance in New York City, working as a banker until 2000. He later became a substitute teacher in the Ridgefield and Danbury school systems and was briefly director of the Ridgefield Discovery Center.

As a lifelong music fan, Mr. Jones was particularly fond of country and western and rock and roll. His favorite artists included Johnny Cash, Neil Young and the Rolling Stones. “He was known to often have his nose in at least three books at once, preferring historical tomes over fiction,” the family said. “On the weekends, he liked to cook, often following recipes clipped from the New York Times.”

An area resident since 1976, he had been a resident of Ridgefield for the past 22 years, coming from Redding. He was a member of the First Congregational Church of Ridgefield.

Besides his wife, he is survived by two sons, Barrett Wendell Jones and his wife Gabriela Schneider of Washington, D.C., and Brendan Ronald Jones and his wife Susannah of New York, N.Y.; a brother, Ronald A. Jones and his wife Kay of Lake Jackson, Texas, as well as nieces and nephews.

A memorial service took place April 9 at the First Congregational Church of Ridgefield. Burial will take place in Mapleshade Cemetery, Ridgefield, at the direction of the family.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Appalachian Mountain Club, 5 Joy Street, Boston, MA 02108, 617-523-0655; www.outdoors.org.
Kane Funeral Home, 25 Catoonah St., Ridgefield is in charge of arrangements.

© Copyright 2008 by Hersam Acorn Newspapers