ROBERT SARGENT JONES
STONINGTON: Robert Sargent Jones, an avid sailor and businessman who spent the summers of his youth and most of his adult life in Stonington, died on Thursday. Born on December 4, 1923 in Teaneck, NJ, he was the son of W. Rand Jones and Amy Butler Jones. Bob attended the Berkshire Preparatory School, and played the trombone at the 1939 World’s Fair. He attended Yale University, matriculating as a freshman in 1942 in the class of 1945W. During WWII, he left Yale to join the Navy as an Electronic Technician 2nd class, serving aboard a Corvette Escort Ship and an LSMR Rocket Ship in Chesapeake Bay, then in the Pacific. Although he received his degree from Yale in 1948, he retained his 1945W affiliation.
After serving in the Navy, Jones married Helen Eighmy of Sewickly, PA. They moved to North Stonington, where he had purchased and renovated a small water-powered grist mill in the little village of Clark’s Falls. Specializing in stone ground white corn meal for Johnny cakes, he supplied local customers and retail outlets, and developed a prize-winning recipe that was bought by the S.S. Pearce Company. Jones entered the real estate and insurance business, and later opened his own agency in the village of Stonington.
Bob was an active participant in local community affairs. He served as President of the Board of Trustees of the Stonington Community Center during construction of its current facility, and on the board of the Pequotsepos Wildlife Sanctuary where he chaired the annual “Bird Ball,” a popular fund-raiser during the 1950’s. He also helped establish the Flag Pole at Stonington Point, headed the United Way Fund Drive in its formative years for Stonington, and volunteered on the North Stonington planning and zoning commission.
Racing sailboats of all types was a wonderful part of his life, and he had good sailing friends in all parts of the country. A fierce competitor with a feisty temperament, Jones was in his element when sailing the waters of Fishers Island Sound, and most proud of his achievements as a sailor. An active participant in local Ensign Fleet #34 in his beloved boat, ‘Flying High’ , Jones won everything he could locally, and went on to win the Region II Regatta (a region which runs from Bridgeport to Cape Cod) several times. He trailed or sailed ‘Flying High’ to national regattas from Maine to New Jersey and upstate New York. In 1974, he was National Champion. At that time Ensigns were the largest class of full keel sailboats. He was Commodore of the Ensign Class Association during 1975-76. During his tenure he instituted a class newsletter, “The Ensign” which is still published regularly. As Vice Commodore of Regional Affairs during 1973-74, he inaugurated a series of five Regional Regattas around the country which have been conducted annually ever since. He also served as Commodore of the Fishers Island Sound Fleet. Among his many contributions to the fleet over the years was conceiving a Memorial Day Ensign race to open the season, for which he gave a permanent trophy that is still raced for annually. Later as Commodore of the Wadawanuck Yacht Club, he succeeded in bringing the Australians to Stonington just prior to the Australian-American Cup Races.
In addition to sailing during his retirement years, Jones loved to travel, golf and ski. At home, he spent his time studying the stock market, watching and feeding ducks and other birds, and gardening. He was especially fond of roses, and grew dozens of different varieties. In the 1945W 50th reunion yearbook, Bob wrote: “I’ve traveled to many countries around the world – to China, Russia, Japan, Egypt, Europe – and cruised extensively with friends in the Baltic and the Caribbean. I’ve also been to almost every state in the union, including Hawaii – but I’ve never seen a place I’d rather live in more than my hometown of Stonington Connecticut. I love the sea and the changeable seasons of New England.”
“In looking back over my life, I realize how very fortunate I was to have attended the schools I did. But my greatest fortune was to have had wonderful, loving parents and a great life together with my sister and brothers.”
Bob was predeceased by two brothers, Rand and William Jones, and two sons, Robert S. (Robin) Jones, Jr., and Thomas Brooke Jones. He is survived by his sister, Amy McKinley of Town and County Mo., and his former wife, Helen E. Jones (aka: Ida B. Lewis) of Westerly, Rhode Island and their son, Charles Butler Jones of Norwich, and by his close friend Kathleen Ennis Jenkins of Newport, RI.
A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, November 18, at 12:30pm at Calvary Episcopal Church in Stonington.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center, PO Box 122, Mystic CT 06355, the Stonington Community Center, 28 Cutler Street, Stonington CT 06378 or to Calvary Episcopal Church, 27 Church Street, Stonington CT 06378. To send an online condolence/remembrance to the family, please click on the link below.