Necrology

Jeremy Jones '63

Jan. 14, 1942-Mar. 12, 2023

Jeremy Jones ’63, P’18 died on March 12, 2023, in Naples, Fla. Born in Deerfield, Mass., on Jan. 14, 1942, Jeremy’s secondary education began at the Riverdale Country School in the Bronx, where his father was headmaster. He came to Hamilton from Deerfield Academy. On the Hill, he was a member of Alpha Delta Phi fraternity and majored in English literature.

A member of the Charlatans during his freshman year and an avid bridge player, his principal extracurricular activity was swimming. He was a member of the varsity swim team all four years and its co-captain during his junior and senior years. He was later described as “the best all-around swimmer” on the 1962 team, which was undefeated; its four-man relay team, which Jeremy anchored, beat Brockport’s by a tenth of a second in the season’s final meet.

After Hamilton, Jeremy returned to New York to work as a pollster for Lou Harris. In 1966, he became engaged to Anne Cousin Perry of Western Springs, Ill. They had two daughters and a son.

Tiring of the job of pollster, in 1972 he began what would be a 35-year career in fundraising for educational institutions, beginning with the Riverdale Country School. From there, he moved on to St. Christopher’s School in Richmond, Va., then to the Mary Institute in St. Louis, and subsequently to St George’s School in Middletown, R.I., where he was director of development.

In 1992, he became vice president for institutional advancement at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y. Five years later, in 1997, he was named executive director of the Empire State College Foundation. The institution, part of the State University of New York system, serves working and professional students. 

In tandem with this work, Jeremy co-founded The Franklin Group, a fundraising consulting firm, and was a founding member of Lee Grant, an association of independent school professionals. He was editor of the first edition of A Development Handbook: Promoting Philanthropy at Independent Schools. The Council for Advancement and Support of Education recognized his distinguished service to the school advancement profession by conferring upon him the Robert Bell Crow Memorial Award. He retired in 2007.

His first two marriages ended in divorce. Later in life he married Tracy Savage. They divided their time between Saratoga Springs and Westport, N.Y.

Jeremy had a strong sense of civic duty. He volunteered his time and expertise to a number of organizations, including as a member of the board of the Homemade Theater in Saratoga Springs and as chairman of the board of the Depot Theatre in Westport. Other nonprofit organizations were also beneficiaries of his expertise. He kept his interest in swimming and bridge and also enjoyed dancing, golf, and challenging mind puzzles and games. 

He held the College in high regard while lamenting that he had not taken full advantage of what it had to offer. He recalled in his 25th reunion yearbook: “While my years at Hamilton were by no means wasted, I look back and wish I had put more into my four years there — too many cut classes, too many courses not taken, too many lectures not attended, too many friendships not continued.” These words will no doubt resonate with many. 

But he also reflected: “When I talk of Hamilton with others, I tend to stress how important the ‘yes’ papers and the four years of public speaking were. Also, the requirement to gain proficiency in two carry-over sports. Hamilton provided a strong foundation for a respect for others and the importance of diversity.”

Jeremy Jones was predeceased by his father, John Haydn Jones ’31, GP’18, and his uncle Arthur Griffith Jones ’35. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, a son, son-in-law Thomas Pastore ’88, P’18, and three grandchildren, including Sam Pastore ’18.

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