Thomas Curry Jones, husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather, great-grandfather, friend, mentor, and community volunteer, died in Concord, N.H., after 92 remarkable years. Curry Jones died peacefully of natural causes at his home on Sept. 8, 2015.
Curry’s journey began on Feb. 4, 1923, when he was born to Mary Ann Curry Jones and Louis Clinton Jones in Asheville, N.C. As a teenager, he excelled in golf, oratory, and debate — earning at least one state champion’s title by the age of 15. He graduated from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (class of ’43), where he studied chemistry and participated in a wide range of clubs; he spent much of his time in the lab and on the turf, where he used his energy to fire up the crowds as head cheerleader. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Navy as a second lieutenant navigator on destroyer escorts; in 1945, he married Margaret Turnbull of Summit, N.J., not long after they met working in the labs of Standard Oil of New Jersey, now ExxonMobil.
Curry’s oil company career took him and his family from Chatham, N.J. to Hudson, Ohio, and back to New Jersey, to Mountain Lakes and Boonton Township, where he and Peggy raised their six children. In each of those towns he took on active roles within the community, from Episcopal churches to the board of education in Mountain Lakes. He continued to lend his bold and distinctive tenor to various choirs, and enjoyed taking the family out for adventures in the VW bus, hiking and skiing the headwall of Tuckerman Ravine and ski areas across the United States. Curry and his extraordinary, late wife of 62 years, Margaret Turnbull Jones, devoted themselves to their family and community.
After retiring from a dynamic career at Exxon Corp. (ExxonMobil), Curry and Peggy lived full-time at Wasque Farm on Chappaquiddick. Together they created an environment that gave many generations of family and friends a chance to gather, particularly with traditions like the 4th of July potluck suppers. Curry took on retirement with the same energy and focus as one would bring to a second career; he was active in the Chappaquiddick Island Association and community projects in Edgartown, most notably as a volunteer in the planning and installation of the first major wastewater treatment plant for that town. During that time, he was a member of the choir of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church and of the Rotary Club; he also lent his talents to the Island Theater Workshop, taking on roles in several productions.
As the central hub in a very large family network, Curry was especially attuned to the lives of his children, grandchildren, their children, and his friends. Curry was magnanimous and generous with his time, always looking for opportunities to foster connections and spark meaningful conversations. He was keenly interested in politics, world affairs, the financial and energy markets, the technology sector, and religion. Despite a trick knee, he maintained his interest in the outdoors, and enjoyed taking advantage of a variety of activities in downtown Concord, N.H., and on Martha’s Vineyard.
Curry is lovingly survived by his six children and their spouses, Barton (and Debby) Jones, Cornwall, Conn.; Peter (and Rosario) Jones, Oakton, Va.; Stephen (and Cindy) Jones, Salt Lake City, Utah; Carol Jones, Hull; Janey (and Matt) Seiter, Riverside, R.I.; Marianne Jones (and Whit Symmes), Concord, N.H. He is also survived by his first cousin, Patricia (and Nicholas) Wolf, Hightstown, N.J.; and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and dear friends. He was deeply appreciative for the relationships in his life and for all those with whom he crossed paths. Contributions in his memory may be made to St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Edgartown, MA 02539, or to a charity of your choice.
There will be a memorial service and celebration of Curry’s life on June 4, 2016, at 11 am at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Edgartown, followed by a reception.