General Dennis Jones passes away

Dennis Jones, a key to the touchdown that brought Monongah High the first of its five state football titles in 1952, passed away January 2.

Dennis Jones

Dennis, a retired Army major general, also who had a key role in bringing Monongah High its first of five state football titles in 1952 under the late Coach Jim Feltz before playing both offensive and defensive end on the WVU football team 1954-58.

Feltz also coached the 1955 state champs. Monongah also won state football titles in 1968, 1969 and 1973.

Dennis was on the all-state team during his Monongah High days, which included the game-winning touchdown against Winfield. Quarterback Julie Angelucci threw a pass to Dennis, who lateraled to Larry Rankin for the game-winning score.

Dennis, Sam Huff

Larry passed away but Julie lives in Severna Park, Maryland with his wife of 26 years, Stella Kootsikas Angelucci.

Dennis also played basketball for Monongah High.

Dennis’ parents were Clifford and Georgia Fleming Jones, who operated Jones Grocery Store in Worthington for many years.  His brother, David Jones, is deceased.

Dennis, John Olesky

Dennis wife for 59 years is Trudy Martin Jones. They have two adult daughters and two grandchildren.

In 2001, Dennis retired as vice president of business development for Norandal USA.

Dennis and I had an enjoyable reunion in Mountaineer Field in 2011, before the Pitt game.

Jim McDaniel, Class of 1960, living in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware after a couple of decades in the Air Force, also has good memories of Dennis.

Jim wrote:

“John:  Sorry to learn of the passing of Dennis Jones.  I know all of the family very well.  Was good friends with his brother, David, who had polio and had a tough time with it. 

“We always shot a lot of basketballs over at the beach.  We did our shopping at the Jones's

food store in Worthington.  To think that Worthington had a 2-star general that grew up there. 

“The Jones family moved down to Swisher Hill in later years and out of the apt they lived in above the store. 

“Saw in your pics that Jimmy Demus and Frankie Tulin (Worthington boys) were

also on that 1952 winning team.  

“Jim”

Jim and wife Mary Bolin McDaniel will celebrate their 38^th wedding anniversary on March 15. Jim met Mary, by then from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, at Anne Arundel Community College in Arnold, Maryland.

Jim’s siblings are Jo Ann McDaniel Huff, Class of 1949, who lives at the bottom of Kings Alley in Worthington; Mary Jane McDaniel Pritchard; and the late Donald McDaniel, Class of 1946.

Their mom was Mary Curry McDaniel, who with 5 siblings were raised in the hotel owned by their father, Carroll Curry, who owned the hotel, theater and bank on the same street in downtown Monongah. 

They are the grandchildren of long-ago Monongah stationmaster Ted McDaniel and Adrian Curry McDaniel, Class of 1923.

Dennis’ obituary:

Maj. Gen. Dennis R. Jones died on Jan. 2 at Alive Hospice in Nashville, Tennessee.

He was born in Fairmont on June 17, 1936, to Clifford and Georgia Fleming Jones.

Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Trudy Martin Jones of Brentwood, Tennessee; daughters, Shirley Boushell (Bob) of Arizona and Melissa Jones of Oregon; granddaughter, Audrey Tankersley (Michael) of California; and grandson, Connor Boushell of Massachusetts.

He was a graduate of Monongah High School, where he played on the 1952 West Virginia Class B championship team and was selected to the All-State football first team. Dennis attended West Virginia University on a football scholarship and earned a bachelor of science of electrical engineering degree.

He received a regular Army commission as a distinguished ROTC student and served 37 years in the Army, National Guard and Army Reserves. His last command was commanding general of the 125th U.S. Army Reserve Command in Nashville.

He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal and retired from duty on June 17, 1996.

In 2001, he retired as vice president of business development for Norandal USA.

A celebration of his life will be held from 2-5 p.m. Saturday at the Martin Center, located at 960 Heritage Way in Brentwood. General Jones will be interred in Arlington National Cemetery.

Our family wishes to thank the staff of Alive Hospice in Nashville, Tennessee. To honor Dennis, remembrances may be made to Alive Hospice, 1718 Patterson St., Nashville, TN 37203 (AliveHospice.org). An online guestbook is available at AustinFuneralService.com .