Donald Thomas Jones

40 YEAR VETERAN OF THE LIVINGSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, RETIRED CHIEF OF POLICE DONALD T. JONES OF LIVINGSTON, N.J. PASSED AWAY ON SATURDAY, APRIL 26, 2014 AT ST. BARNABAS HOSPITAL AFTER A LONG ILLNESS. VISITATION WILL TAKE PLACE ON THURSDAY, MAY 1ST FROM 2-4 PM AND 7-9 PM AT THE QUINN HOPPING FUNERAL HOME AT 145 E. MT. PLEASANT AVE., LIVINGSTON, N. J.

THE FUNERAL MASS WILL BE CELEBRATED AT ST. PHILOMENA’S R.C. CHURCH IN LIVINGSTON, N.J. ON FRIDAY, MAY 2ND AT 10:30 A.M. WITH INTERNMENT AT RESTLAND MEMORIAL IN EAST HANOVER IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE MASS.

A LIFE-LONG RESIDENT OF LIVINGSTON, CHIEF JONES LED THE LIVINGSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR 15 YEARS. HE EARNED A B.S. DEGREE SUMMA CUM LAUDE AND AN M.A. DEGREE FROM WILLIAM PATERSON COLLEGE IN WAYNE, NEW JERSEY. HE EARNED A JURIS DOCTORATE DEGREE FROM RUTGERS LAW SCHOOL AND AT THE TIME WAS THE ONLY POLICE CHIEF IN THE STATE TO HOLD A LAW DEGREE.

HE WAS AN ADJUNCT PROFESSOR OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE FOR ESSEX COUNTY COLLEGE

AND WAS AN INSTRUCTOR WITH THE ESSEX COUNTY POLICE ACADEMY FOR 32 YEARS. OVER HIS LONG CAREER HE RECEIVED NUMEROUS AWARDS. BEGINNING HIS HIGHER EDUCATION CAREER AT MORRIS COUNTY COLLEGE, HE RECEIVED THE VOELKER AWARD FOR PLACING FIRST IN HIS GRADUATING CLASS.

OVER HIS DISTINGUISHED CAREER IN LAW ENFORCEMENT HE PUBLISHED OVER 250 ARTICLES ON LAW, CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND POLICE TRAINING. HE APPEARED AS A GUEST ON THE TV SHOW “48 HOURS ON CRACK STREET” WITH DIANE SAWYER. HE WAS A GUEST LECTURER IN COLLEGES, HIGH SCHOOLS AND PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND WAS APPOINTED TO THE GOVERNOR’S TASK FORCE ON CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT. HE WAS NAMED TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S SELECT COMMITTEE ON CARJACKING AND AUTO THEFT.

HIS MILITARY EXPERIENCE INCLUDED 8 YEARS IN THE NAVAL RESERVE AND ACTIVE DUTY FROM 1952 TO 1960.

HE HAD MANY LIFE-LONG FRIENDS, MOST NOTABLY JAMES JESKEY OF LIVINGSTON, NEW JERSEY AND ROBERT BLUMENHEIN OF PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA, WHO MEANT THE WORLD TO HIM.

HE WAS PREDECEASED BY HIS DEAR SON, DONALD T. JONES II WHO WAS LOST AT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001. HE IS SURVIVED BY HIS BELOVED WIFE JUDITH (SUTTON), HIS SON WILLIAM B. JONES II AND HIS WIFE AIDA. HE IS ALSO SURVIVED BY HIS DAUGHTER IN LAW MICHELE JONES-FERRELL, HIS GRANDCHILDREN TAYLOR NICOLE JONES, DONALD T. JONES III, CHISTOPHER FERRELL AND VICTORIA APONTE, AND MANY BELOVED NIECES AND NEPHEWS. HE ALSO LEAVES MANY BELOVED IN-LAWS, ESPECIALLY HIS SISTERS-IN-LAW MARJORIE MCSPIRIT AND LINDA ZIELKE. IN ADDITION, HE IS SURVIVED BY HIS SISTER ROSEMARY JONES AND HIS BROTHERS DAVID JONES AND RICHARD JONES. HE WAS ALSO PREDECEASED BY HIS SISTER AND BROTHER IN LAW DORIS THOMS & JOHN THOMS.

FINALLY, WE WANT TO GIVE SPECIAL THANKS TO COUSIN RANDY JONES FOR THE YEARS OF CARE AND LOVE HE GAVE TO HIM.