Joseph (Joe) Clarence Jones, age 97, died July 17, 2021 He was preceded by his wife Anne Johnson Jones, who died April 17, 2020, at the age of 90. The Jones’ were from Mendon and most recently The Meadows at East Mountain in Rutland Town.
Anne was born Aug. 3, 1929, in Boston, Massachusetts, the daughter of Elizabeth (DeFord) Johnson and Charles B. Johnson. Joe was born July 20, 1923, in Rutland, the son of Catherine (Dye) Jones and George F. Jones.
Joseph C. “Joe” Jones, Anne J. Jones and family dog
Anne and Joe were married on April 2, 1949, in Concord, Massachusetts. They enjoyed 71 wonderful years of marriage together.
During World War II, Joe served in the 10th Mountain Division 87th Regiment based at Camp Hale, Colorado. He saw action on the Aleutian Islands in Alaska.
Joe owned and operated a successful insurance agency in Rutland for over 40 years. He retired at age 70 to further pursue the outdoor activities that he and Anne enjoyed together. He served on many local boards and was also active in local and state politics. He was the co-founder of the Mid-VT Junior Alpine Racing Council and was also the co-founder of the Vermont Alpine Racing Association (VARA). Both organizations continue to thrive today. Joe was always proud of the fact that VARA is the leading Alpine racing association in the country. He is a member of the Vermont Ski Hall of Fame and was the first inductee into the VARA Hall of Fame.
Anne had many successes as a young Alpine racer, winning many events in her career. She was always proud of winning the famed Gibson Cup at Cannon Mountain in New Hampshire, where she skied in her younger years. She loved to ski fast —Downhill was her favorite event. Anne also loved gardening and many of her flowerbeds continue to flourish today. She loved all animals, especially her many dogs and cats. When Anne was not busy tending to family demands, she enjoyed her time with her skiing, tennis and golfing friends. For Anne, when playing golf, it was not about her score, but how fast they could complete the round. Playing 18 holes in under 90 minutes was a good day in Anne’s book.
Anne and Joe were outdoor sports enthusiasts. They enjoyed skiing, tennis, golf, sailboarding, biking and hiking. Whether it was ski racing in their younger years, coaching the alpine ski teams at Middlebury College and Pico Ski Resort, or skiing with their friends at Killington and Pico, their lives centered around their mutual love of skiing together. They were enamored with skiing fresh powder and were fortunate to ski several million vertical feet of the cherished powder in the Canadian Rockies. Anne skied her last run off the top of Pico at the age of 89. Joe was always proud of the fact that he was able to ski every season that Pico was open for the first 75 years of operation.
Anne and Joe were avid Red Sox and Patriot fans, and they never missed watching or listening to a game. They were also prolific readers, with Joe reading a book a day in his later years.
Anne and Joe were recently honored by the Pico Ski Education Foundation, by naming a significant trail improvement and snowmaking expansion project after them at Pico Ski Resort.
Survivors include their three children: Wendy (Roland) Sicard of Salt Lake City, Utah; Lisa (Greg) Brunson of Carbondale, Colorado; and Cort (Suzanne) Jones of Mendon; and four grandchildren, Peter Harriman, Toby Harriman, Abigail Jones and Crawford Jones.
At the request of Anne and Joe there will be no calling hours or service. The family would like to thank the staff of At Home Senior Care and The Meadows at East Mountain for their compassion and care for Anne and Joe over the last two years.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Pico Ski Education Foundation (The Anne & Joe Jones Snowmaking Campaign), 110 Merchants Row, Suite 330, Rutland, VT 05701 or The Rutland County Humane Society, 765 Stevens Road, Pittsford, VT 05763. Tossing Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.
