William John Jones Jr.

William John Jones was born April 29, 1940 in Cleveland, OH, the eldest son of William and Mary Jones. He died at the age of 82 on November 4, 2022 in Cleveland, OH after a long struggle with a recurrence of melanoma.

He was a people person who didn't mind being the center of attention but also didn't seek it out. He approached life with a sense of whimsy and seriousness that was unique. He was wonderful and we were lucky to have him in our lives.

He began his career working in the mailroom at the headquarters of Sherwin Williams where he eventually moved to marketing, working on the advertising campaign introducing spray paints to the American market. He retired as the sales representative covering the midwest region for Ritrama Duramark, a company manufacturing pressure-sensitive adhesives. He accumulated multiple awards for being the worst golfer.

Bill was a multifaceted man. His knowledge of dance, from Bulgarian and Greek to Swedish and ballroom, was encyclopedic and his footwork was exceptional. He began spending summers in the 70s traveling to Greece to dance in tavernas. He met his wife, Linda, dancing the Hambo at Buffalo Gap folk dance camp the Labor Day weekend of 1977. He spent his later years as a dedicated attendee of Tuesday night folk dancing at St. Constantine and Helen's in Cleveland Heights.

He was also a runner for many years. Decked out in neon spandex, he was a fixture in the neighborhood, saying hello to everyone he passed while jogging 5K every morning for decades.

Describing himself as "horticulturally fit," he was an amazing gardener. He converted their traditional grass lawn to a sanctuary for native plants that led to their home being featured on the Cleveland Heights Heritage House Tour. He became involved in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens in 2004, bringing life back to the Hebrew Cultural Garden especially, and was honored as a Cultural Garden Guardian in 2016.

He was a committed vegetarian for 50 years who developed his own ideas about meals. Some of his unique Bill-isms included the idea that the best breakfast is a concoction of wheat flakes and rolled oats consumed raw with brazil nuts, plain yogurt, and an astounding amount of fresh fruit; lunch is superfluous; dinner should be complimented by a dessert of peanut butter and jelly on a dense German-style bread; Campari served neat is a great digestive; Espresso is best with the oil of a lemon zest to cut the acid of the coffee. His salads and mustard vinaigrette are legendary. His family remembers Friday night dinners fondly, when they would gather together after lighting Shabbat candles, to eat pasta aglio e olio that he would make in a large copper pot while listening to the Macedonian Radio Hour.

Not only was Bill physically and horticulturally fit, he was intellectually fit. Having converted to Judaism as an adult, he showed a deep love of Torah and learning in general. Most recently, his Torah discussion group was studying Robert Alter's translation of The Five Books of Moses. He enjoyed sharing what he learned and could wax poetic about most topics, whether it be Kabbalah or the magic of creating the perfect cup of coffee. He was unsentimental—while he loved art and music, he did not have a strong attachment to physical objects. It was more important to him for things to have utility, so he converted his extensive record collection first to mini discs and then to MP3s.

Lastly, he had tremendous energy and concentrated it towards his values and passions. He chose to make a home in a community that valued inclusion and diversity. He never tired on the dance floor. He was a dedicated member of B'nai Jeshurun and could be found sitting in the third row from the bimah every Shabbat morning for years. He corresponded avidly with friends and family. In the week before he died, he found the energy to color match the stain so the new white oak floorboard would match the existing red oak floor—something only he would do.

He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Dr. Linda Schoenberg, and their daughter, Rebecca Schoenberg-Jones of Brooklyn, NY; his children from his first marriage: Elspeth Ann Michaels of South Euclid, OH; David Ellett of Chandler, AZ; and Bill Northrup of Eugene, OR; and his brother, David Jones of Williamsburg, VA.

Family graveside services on Monday, November 7 at Beth Moses Cemetery in New York.

Family will receive friends at the residence 2224 Middlefield Rd. Cleveland Heights THURSDAY AND FRIDAY 1 PM-4 PM

MEMORIAL SERVICES TO BE ANNOUNCED