Robert Jones Obituary

Robert Lodge Jones CHARLESTON - Robert Lodge Jones of Charleston, SC, beloved husband of Margaret Smith Jones, died peacefully at home on May 13, 2022 after a long illness. The funeral celebrating his life will be held on Saturday, June 11, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. at Old St. Andrew's Parish Church, 2604 Ashley River Road, Charleston, SC 29414. Burial with military honors will be in the Church graveyard followed by a reception in the Church Parish Hall. Mr. Jones was born on December 21, 1935 in Washington Township,Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, the son of the late Robert Oliver Jones and Tamizon MacNichols Jones. He was also preceded in death by a brother, John Jones. He graduated from Leechburg High School, Leechburg, Pennsylvania, before joining the United States Marine Corps, where he served during the Korean War. Following his tour of duty in the Marine Corps, he attended the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland. He started his interest in radio communication at age 14, when he obtained his amateur radio license and built his first radio, a hobby he pursued throughout his lifetime. In the Marine Corps, he built the radio and operated an amateur radio station for troop communication for use at sea and for communication with families back home. In civilian life he also held a captain's license from the U. S. Coast Guard and enjoyed many hours on his sailboat "The Great Escape". Mr. Jones was employed for thirty-three years at IBM Corporation in the engineering division as a project manager. During his career, he served on the engineering team that initially developed voice recognition technology. In his last assignment before retirement, he served several years as the service interface to the IBM World Trade Corporation located in Nice, France. After retirement from IBM, he worked with the banking industry in Florida as an Information Technology project manager retiring for the second time in 2002 from Bank of America. He and his wife, Margaret, moved to Charleston in 2003. Until his health began to fail in 2008, he was an active member of Old St. Andrew's Parish Church, where he held membership until his death. He was the former treasurer of the Schieveling Plantation Homeowners' Association and served on its Architectural Review Board. He and Margaret and their chocolate lab, Hunter, served as a pet therapy team in veteran hospitals and nursing homes for over eight years, both in Florida and South Carolina. The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution rewarded their efforts with a National award for Service to Veterans in 2005. Mr. Jones was currently a member of Low Country Detachment Number 803, Marine Corps League, in Charleston. Besides Margaret, his loving wife of twenty-eight years, he is survived by his son of his former marriage, Robert Lodge Jones, Jr. (Tammy), Margaret's children from her former marriage whom he helped raise and loved as his own, Charles P. Kirkley of Oceanside, CA; Dr. John A. Colona (Jessica) of Mt. Pleasant, SC; and Anna Colona Bibic (Damian) of Los Angeles, CA; grandchildren: Larissa Warner (Ben), Chase and Lane Hansen, Jack, Violet and Georgia Colona, Bailey Woodall (Sam), Will Brown, and great-grandchildren, Ben and Ruby Grace Woodall, and half brother, Fred Gossett (Mary). The family would like to express their thanks to Dr. James E. Fayssoux for his many years of care and to Roper St. Francis Hospice for their kindness and assistance during Mr. Jones last days. Special appreciation goes to Emily Sharp at Dr. Fayssoux's office, and Social Worker, Amanda, Nurses Shamika and Michelle, Chaplain Chad, and Aide Shy with Hospice. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Old St. Andrew's Parish Church for contribution to the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund or to Low Country Detachment Number 803 Marine Corps League, Charleston, c/o Commandant Helen Breen, 404 Mountain Laurel Circle, Goose Creek, SC 29445 for veteran projects. Visit our guestbook at legacy.com/obituaries/charleston