Enoch Morse Jones
Enoch Morse Jones, age 83, passed away at 2:30 pm on February 26, 2016 in Houston, Texas. He was born on February 13, 1933 in Danville, Virgina to James Ellis and Gracie Jones (Allen) and is survived by: his wife, Gladys (Hemphill), two sons Jeffrey Allen and Timothy Brian sister Jeanette (Cocke), brothers, Leonard and Bobby, and numerous family members and friends.
When his nation called, he answered by joining the United States Air Force, when he entered the aviation cadet program and served as flight instructor and navigator in the B-36 and other Korean Conflict era aircraft. He earned his Bachelor’s of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Virgina Polytechnic Institute, now Virginia Tech and was selected for membership in honor societies Phi Kappa Phi, Tau Beta Pi and Pi Tau Sigma. He later received an advanced degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California.
He worked his entire career at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration initially in Langley, Virginia and then at the Manned Spacecraft Center, later Lyndon B Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. He worked on Projects Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Apollo-Soyuz, Skylab, and served as Systems Engineering and Systems Integration managers for the Space Transportation System (Space Shuttle). He received numerous awards during his distinguished career including two NASA Exceptional Service Medals. He had a passion for all sports, especially baseball, golf, tennis and skiing. He loved researching history and travelling and exploring beautiful scenery of the world with Gladys.
Visitation will be held on March 3, 2016 from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm followed a celebration of life at 4:00 pm and reception to follow in the Crowder Funeral Home, Webster, Texas. Those wishing to make a memorial donation in Enoch’s memory, in lieu of flowers, may do so to the Engineering Scholarship Fund at Virginia Tech University in Enoch Jones’ name.
My condolences to family. Didn’t know Enoch, when I was at NASA-Houston in 1962-65. But, I, too, was an Aviation Cadet, trained as a Navigator at Ellington, Class 55-01, in 1954. If Enoch was trained there, we may have run into each other at the Cadet Club. I had plenty of cadet friends who ended up in B-36s. I went the other way than Enoch, doing 7 years at Langley, 1967-74, working on a Ph.D. Ended up as a Professor at A&M, up here in College Station, from 1974-99. Reading his obituary takes me back a long way. There aren’t many of us left. – John P.
johnpainter@verizon.net
Too many of our wonderful NASA colleagues like Enoch Jones who accomplished so much during the 1960s are now beginning to pass and are no longer on this earth with us. We continue to love and miss all of them.
“The clock of life is wound but once, and no man has the power to tell just when the hands will stop, at late or early hour. Now is the only time we own. Live, love, learn, enjoy to the utmost the wonderful hours each of us has left. Place no faith in time … for our clock of life may soon be still.”
Jim Visentine
My sincere condolences to the Jones family. My name is Dave Newman and I played Am. Legion baseball w/ Enoch, it now seems like a hundred years ago, on the famed ‘ Lefty’ Wilson team in the late 40’s. Enoch was a very good athlete and fierce competator. Of course we lost contact through the years and it saddens me to learn of his death.
Along with my condolences I wanted to point out to His family that we have a beautiful Veterans Memorial here in Danville, Va that has a memorial brick walkway with the engraved names of over 6,300 +- local Veterans. One can click on to the City of Danville, Va web site and see live pictures of the Memorial 24 hrs. a day. To my knowledge, ‘Deacon’ is the only one in the Jones family who has an engraved brick there. Though I am no longer actively involved with the Memorial, It occured to me that someone in the family may want to pursue this and not only place Enoch’s name but all of his brothers and maybe others who have served this great Nation. Donald ‘Country’ Jones and I were drafted the same day in 1952. He served in Japan and I went to Korea.
The Veterans involved with the upkeep of the Memorial try to get family members engraved bricks as close to each other in the walkway as space permits. The local Community Foundation handles all donations and assist with the Veterans history that goes on the bricks. Sorry this is so long but I know all the Jones boys served and maybe other family members since then. In this Memorial their sacrifice will be honored and remembered forever.
Very Sincerely, Dave Newman