Derek William Jones

It is with great sadness and bittersweet gratitude that we announce the passing of Dr. Derek William Jones. Fittingly perhaps, it was on February 15, 2024, just after Valentine’s Day, that our Dad left us to rejoin the Joy of his life and wife of over 65 years. Although much had been taken from him in his last months, few would be surprised to hear that he still continued to manage a few jokes in his last weeks and days. We are grateful that he was able to pass away at home, much as he did most things in life, stubborn and fighting until the last. He did it on his terms and in his own time.

Born in the small village of Water Orton, UK in 1933, it was that very tenacity that served Derek well as a young boy who spent months away from family in hospital with diphtheria. And again when he was told by doctors not to play sports because of his weak heart. Did he listen? No, he saved up his bus money to pay an older boy to borrow his cleats and snuck out behind his mum’s back to play football (soccer). A passionate fan of the beautiful game, Derek also snuck into Villa Park with his little brother to watch Aston Villa play and has been a lifelong fan of the team—who are making him proud this season and currently sit at 4th place in the Premier League. Up the Villa!

Never one to listen to naysayers, Derek continued with athletics as a young man, becoming quite a speedy wing forward and, so the story goes, turned down an offer to train with an Olympic track and field coach, because he’d “rather play football”. However, when offered what one would think was a dream opportunity to play professionally with Wolverhampon Wanderers, he declined because a career as a professional footballer simply wasn’t practical or profitable in those days. Despite those early doctor warnings, Derek also excelled at cricket, badminton and tennis, which he continued to play well into his 80s.

Turning his focus to academics, he juggled night school while supporting a young family to finish his BSc and PhD at the University of Birmingham and built a distinguished career as a scientific researcher in the field of dental biomaterials science, for which most will likely remember him. Throughout all of this, it was his wife Joy who was his lifelong companion of over 67 years—the woman he would always refer to as the Joy of his life. Derek met Kathleen ‘Joy’ Dorrington at a village dance. They married, had 4 children and, soon after, the Jones family emigrated to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada when Derek accepted a position to build a biomaterials division at Dalhousie University’s School of Dentistry, where he remained a Professor Emeritus until his death.

In Halifax, Derek continued with his love of sport, coaching and refereeing youth soccer and serving as president of the Halifax Youth Soccer Association—instilling his love of the game in many young players. He also taught community badminton at St Andrew’s Church. Derek and Joy also enjoyed supporting the arts community through Neptune Theatre, Symphony Nova Scotia, and Arts Sales and Rentals, where a few of his own paintings were even sold. Through the Dalhousie community they soon found many new friends and made lifelong friendships.

Even so, it is as a professor and research scientist in the field of biomaterials science that many will know Derek best, as Derek’s persistence and hard work lead to him becoming one of the world’s leading experts in his field. A position which provided incredible opportunities to travel around the world with Joy to speak at conferences and leading the Canadian delegation for the ISO and later as Chair. Indeed, Derek looked forward to the company, collegiality and friendship of all of his colleagues at the ISO-TC 106 year after year. His career brought many awards and recognition, but he was particularly proud of the Wilmer Souder award, his Honorary Doctorate from Umeå University and the IADR Distinguished Service Award.

Reluctantly retiring in 1999, Derek enjoyed many afternoons playing tennis with Joy and friends at the Waegwoltic club in the summer and Northcliffe in the winter, took up bridge (much to Joy’s chagrin and sometimes frustration), and spent wonderful winter months in the Algarve in Portugal.

Regardless of how they knew him, all will remember Derek for his dry wit and humour and for his devotion to his wife Joy, particularly in their later years after Joy suffered a stroke. In caring for her, he said it was the hardest he’d ever worked in his life. But never once did he contemplate relinquishing that task or not keeping her at home. His children will remember the super 8 videos of magical lego toys that came to life, murals of animated characters, handmade marionette puppets, magic shows at birthday parties, slide shows (and later powerpoint shows), his tenacity (some would call stubbornness), his work ethic (perhaps not so life-balanced) and of course his “dad” jokes. And also that he loved us all very, very, very much.

Although very much a man of science, whenever asked about “when he died”, Derek would always respond with “if I die”. Well, it seems that, as with all of us, time has caught up with our Dad. Please raise a glass of single malt and remember him well.

Predeceased by his beloved wife, Joy, in October of 2022 and by older sister Kathleen in 2020 and younger brother Peter in 1994, he was the last surviving child of Dorothy and Bill Jones. Derek is survived by his four children: daughters Lindsay, Rachel and Heather (Marshall) and his two grandchildren, Christopher Kennedy and Stephen Kennedy, and his son Marcus (Susan). The family would like to thank everyone who helped with Derek’s care in his last years, especially Tracey Preston, and also Mitch Devoe, Liz Amos and the rest of the Palliative Care Team.

A celebration of life will be held at Snows Funeral Home in Clayton Park, Saturday April 27, 1-4 pm. Please visit https://www.jasnowfuneralhome.com to leave a message for the family, share a memory or to find further details. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or the Heart and Stroke Foundation.