Robert Jones Obituary

Jones
Robert Eugene
Jones
December 16, 1923
March 1, 2024

Born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Dr. Jones was called to active duty from the U.S. Army's enlisted College reserve on April 5, 1943 and later assigned to the 10th Mountain Division. Battle and campaign citations include Rome Arno, North Apennines, Po Valley. Honorably discharged in January 1945, he resumed his undergraduate education at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Elected to Phi Beta Kappa in January of 1948, he was admitted to the University's Honors Program and graduated later in 1948. Although not pursuing a career in Foreign Service, he accepted an appointment in March 1948 as Deputy Director of the US-Costa Rican Bi-national Center in San Jose, under the Division of Libraries and Institutes of the US Department of State. Serving with distinction, the appointment was renewed until he returned to the US in mid 1950.
Dr. Jones was next employed in Dayton, Ohio as the Production Control Manager for the Brown-Bruckmier Co., a medium sized family owned and operated manufacturer of electric motors, with three plants in central and southern Ohio. In February 1951 he was employed as a US Air Force Civilian at Wright-Patterson AFB until June of 1952, when he transferred to Headquarters, Air Defense Command in Colorado Springs to serve as Chief, Management Engineering Branch, DCS/Operation. In 1955 he was appointed Chief Management Analyst, DCS, Comptroller and in 1960 was assigned as a Senior Operations Research Scientist and subsequently served for many years as the Director of Operations Analysis, Hqs., Aerospace Defense Command and Hqs., North American Defense Command. During these years he received numerous civilian awards and decorations for performance including when on extended temporary duty to J-5, JCS, he served as the Technical Director of several joint OSD-JCS Strategic Force Studies in the 1970's. He retired from Air Force Civil Service in February 1984.
Earlier, Dr. Jones completed a Masters degree in 1962 and a PhD in Economics and Statistics at the University of Colorado, Boulder in 1966. In 1980, Dr. Jones was elected to the New York Academy of Science, based in part on his pioneer research in resource allocation modeling using the multivariate case of multiple regression analysis. Following his Air Force Civilian Service retirement, Dr. Jones was employed by the Satellite and Space Electronics Division of Rockwell International as a Program Manager, retiring again in 1993.
In addition to active participation in a number of community activities, Dr. Jones served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, 1966-1972.
Married to the former Joy Hewins, Dr. and Mrs. Jones have 4 sons, all of whom are Eagle Scouts.
To Col RPMacC: In the 1970's Dennis Sullivan offered me the job of Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Strategic Programs in OSD. Knowing what was involved in time and energy when our family was at an important period of their lives, I declined with thanks. I recommended Pete Aldridge for the job. Sullivan told him of my recommendation. Pete accepted and has recalled this to me on several occasions.
A memorial service will be held on June 6, 2024 at 10:00 am at St. George's Anglican Church. A reception at the family home will take place at 2:00 pm.