Jonas Howard Chaves

Jonas Howard Chaves of Swampscott, entered into rest on April 18, 2020 following complications from Covid-19, at the age of 86. Jonas was the son of the late Samuel and Ida Chaves, loving brother of the late Mildred (Chaves) Harris, Shirley (Chaves) Covner and Doris (Chaves) Newman and loving uncle of the late Eric Covner. He leaves a niece, Debra (Harris) Mozes and her husband Jack Mozes and three nephews, Richard Harris and his wife, Catherine O’Connell Harris, Lawrence Newman and his wife Elisabeth Flaster Newman and Robert Newman. He also leaves five grand nieces, Sarah (Mozes) Dussault, Laura (Mozes) Cutler, Emily Harris, Susannah Harris and Lily Harris and two grand nephews, Justin and Corey Newman, and three great-grandnieces and one great-grandnephew.

Jonas attended Swampscott High School, the University of Massachusetts and worked for many years at Western Electric and the Federal Aviation Administration. Jonas was a Mason at the Philanthropic Lodge in Marblehead and volunteered at the Swampscott Fire Department. More than anything, Jonas took his citizenship so seriously that he recently left his rehab facility to exercise his right to vote at the Swampscott Town Hall in the Massachusetts primary.

Funeral services are private. A celebration of his life will be held at a future date. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy can be made in his memory to the World Health Organization, covid19responsefund.org or to the Swampscott Firemen’s Relief Association 76 Burrill St., Swampscott, MA 01907.