Martin G. Jones

Martin G. Jones, Sr., of Chaumont, New York, passed away on March 11, 2026, at the age of 91. Born on May 2, 1934, in Watertown, New York, to Thelma Morris and Kenneth Bancroft, he was later adopted by his stepfather, Olin Jones, and grew up in Three Mile Bay. He is survived by his sister, Elgitha Jones Peebles of Rodman, New York, and was preceded in death by his brothers Kenneth Bancroft, Jr., and Wallace Bancroft, Sr.

A 1952 graduate of Lyme Central High School, Marty excelled in basketball and played in the band. He served two years in the U.S. Army before marrying Jeanette Aldous on June 30, 1957, at Chaumont Presbyterian Church. Their marriage spanned more than 68 years. Together they raised six children: Martin G. Jones, Jr. of Chaumont, Malcolm B. Jones of Cape Vincent, Marsha Jones Howard of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Michael F. Jones of Machesney Park, Illinois, Melanie Jones Kellum of Kernersville, North Carolina, and Mark A. Jones of Reykjavik, Iceland.

Marty built a long and varied career, beginning at George Brothers Hardware in 1954, later establishing his own business, Marty’s Plumb Shop, in 1968, and concluding his working years with Burkhardt’s Plumbing in Watertown, from which he retired in 1996. Deeply committed to his community, he was a 60-year member of the Chaumont Masonic Lodge 172, a longtime participant in the Islander Barbershop Chorus and the Antwerp Drum and Bugle Corps—playing baritone bugle until age 88—and a dedicated supporter of Lyme Central School, where he built sets for plays and crafted a lasting LYME sign. For nearly seventy years he served Chaumont Presbyterian Church as deacon, elder, choir member, and caretaker, maintaining the grounds well into his nineties. An avid canoe racer, he organized the Chaumont Annual Canoe Race during the town’s 1974 centennial and competed with his family, placing second in the family division of the Great Race in Auburn in 1980. He also served as a Boy Scout leader and Explorer advisor for many years.

Above all, Marty cherished his family. He encouraged all of his children to pursue higher education, and took great pride in their accomplishments as teachers, a mechanical engineer, a court assistant, and an IT specialist. He and Jeanette traveled extensively in their van after his retirement, visiting every continental state and spending cherished time with their children, twelve grandchildren, and eleven great-grandchildren. His warmth, creativity, and steadfast presence left a lasting impression on all who knew him.