Dr. Robert C. Jones

"How can you buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land?   The idea is strange.   If we do
not own the freshness of the air and the sparkle of the water, how can you put a price on
them?"    --- adapted from Chief Seattle

With heavy hearts we announce the death of our father, friend and mentor - Robert Clark Jones - on January 4, 2021 of cancer at Asbury Place. With joy we celebrate a remarkable life of 104 years. He was born on January 12, 1917 in Henry, Illinois to Elizabeth Broaddus Jones and John Lloyd Jones.   Growing up in a small midwest town he excelled in academics and athletics and was instilled with a life-long advocacy for education and the environment. He graduated with distinction from the University of Illinois in chemistry with the additional honor of being Junior Phi Beta Kappa.   He earned his M.D. from Harvard Medical School in Boston where he also met his wife, Betty Pitcher, of Camden, Maine who was a graduate of Children's Hospital Nursing School of Boston.   He did his surgical residency at the Roosevelt Hospital in NYC during WWII.   He served as well in the Army Medical Corp in the Korean occupation during WWII. Upon his return he completed his last years of residency at the Roosevelt Hospital and the Bronx VA in New York.

In 1952 he moved his young family from the Johnson City Mountain Home VA to Kingsport where he was the first board-certified urologist in town and founded The Urology Associates of Kingsport.   He was active at Holston Valley Hospital as well as Indian Path Hospital where he served as President of the medical staff. He belonged to numerous professional organizations including the AUA, AMA and American College of Surgeons. He dedicated long hours to his profession and was most richly rewarded by the love and gratitude from his patients and the comraderie of the medical community.

He was a member, elder and deacon at First Presbyterian Church.  He was also a member of the Rotary Club where he was a Paul Harris Fellow.

After retirement he enjoyed tennis, travel and his friends, books and Great Courses. He loved organizing and playing tennis with his Saturday and Tuesday groups at Crown Colony.   He was a charter member of the "Romeos" (retired old medics eating out) and The Jolly Diners.   He was a friend who never forgot to visit when his friends were sick. And, he was blessed to be able to travel the world with his wife and later with his sons in his 80s and 90s.   As he met people around the world he came to appreciate even more that mankind is one living on a single, fragile planet Earth.

He was predeceased by his beloved wife of 54 years in 1997, Elizabeth Pitcher Jones, his parents, and his brother, John L. Jones, Jr.   Left to cherish his memory are his five children - Jeffrey A. Jones (Catherine) of Lincolnville, ME, Dr. Wendy E. Jones-Sims (Peter) of Burlington, MA, John (Jack) C. Jones (Masako) of Atlanta, GA, Dr. Lesley A. Jones of Kingsport, Nancy G. Engsberg (Eric) of Columbus, GA, 9 grandchildren - Peter, Megan, David, Curtis, Josh, Alisa, Caleb, Carrie and Liz and 12 great-grandchildren with another on the way and his pup Rosy.

The family wishes to thank Ann Kibler for her companionship on many wonderful adventures over the years as well as the Asbury staff and friends. And, many thanks to the special friends who have kept in correspondence over the years and especially during this last year of isolation.

Due to Covid he requested no memorial celebration gatherings at this time to help keep our community safer.   Honorary pallbearers are his medical family including Bill Reed, Marty Harrison, Jeanne & Bob Jernigan, Art Garrett, Wendell Skinner.

Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of one's choice or plant a tree or do an act of kindness for someone in need.   Thank you.

"This is the place where we must sever...
You go thousands of miles my friend once forever...
Like the floating clouds we drift apart...
The sunset lingers like the feelings of my heart."
from Farewell to a Friend      attributed to Li Pai