Thomas Copping Jones

Tom was born Thomas Powell Copping in Takoma Park, MD, in 1943 to Dr. Edward Copping and Virginia Powell Copping. His father died while Tom was very young. His mother later remarried and Tom was adopted by his stepfather, whereupon he changed his last name to Jones.

Tom graduated from Martin County High School in Stuart, Florida, and from Vanderbilt University, majoring in English. That major came in handy, as Tom spent most of his working life in jobs that required good writing. His career included journalism, public television and media relations.

After they married in Florida in 1973, Tom and Ginny moved to Connecticut where they lived for many years. Tom was an avid hiker and bicyclist, enjoying the hills and mountains of New England.

Tom loved to discover new places and peoples and ways of life. He and Ginny spent as much time as they could traveling, and after retirement in 2000 were able to fulfil their dream of a three-month cross-continent road trip and a three-month trip to Australia. He was delighted that, in addition to extensive international travel, he had visited every state capital in the United States and every provincial capital in Canada.

In 2002, they moved to New Bern and lived in the downtown historic district. Tom came to really love this delightful town for its charm and warm and friendly people. It was a perfect choice to live out his life, and scarcely a day went by that he didn’t mention how happy he was.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by Ginny’s brother and sister-in-law, Larry and Mary Jane McKnight of Jacksonville, Florida and his nieces and their families.

In memory of his love for the outdoors, contributions may be made to the North Carolina Coastal Land Trust.

Cotten Funeral Home is honored to serve the family and friends of Thomas Copping Jones.