Matthew Joseph Jones Jr.

Born November 28, 1937, in New York City, Matt was the eldest of five children and carried a strong sense of purpose throughout his life. He attended Xavier High School before studying civil engineering at the University of Detroit, where he participated in ROTC and met his future wife, Mary Ellen—an introduction that famously involved her paying to smash a pie in his face at a college carnival. They were married for more than 63 years.

Matt proudly served 22 years in the U.S. Army, including combat service in Vietnam with the 101st Airborne Division as a Combat Engineer, completing 15 jumps with his unit. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel and earned numerous medals, though he rarely spoke of them, preferring quiet humility over recognition.

During his military career, Matt and his growing family lived across the United States. He earned a Master’s Degree in Engineering from Stanford University and, after retirement, continued to serve by teaching engineering courses for the Army around the world, with favorite assignments in Korea, Hawaii, and Germany.

Matt loved travel, stamp collecting, and legendary family Scrabble games. While sports were not his passion, he proudly carried his hole-in-one card for more than 40 years and displayed his “Worst Bowler” trophy with good humor. Most importantly, he never missed a chance to support his children and grandchildren, faithfully cheering from the sidelines.

A man of deep faith, integrity, and generosity, Matt lived his life guided by Christian values. He loved his family unconditionally and welcomed others easily, treating everyone as family. A dedicated member of the Hospitality Ministry at Fort Belvoir and a Third Degree Knight of Columbus, Matt was known for his kindness, his booming voice at Sunday Mass, and his quiet generosity to others.

Matt is survived by his beloved wife, Mary Ellen; his children, Marcy (Chuck Jahn), Margie (Bill Weisband), Miriam, Martha (Gary Compton), Molly (Andy Herr), Matt III, and Megan (John Wiberg); his grandchildren; great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

A Memorial Service will be held Friday, February 6, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at Demaine Funeral Home in Springfield, Virginia. A Funeral Mass will follow on Saturday, February 7, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Louis Catholic Church in Alexandria. Interment with military honors will take place at Arlington National Cemetery on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at 9:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to ChildFund International.

The service will be available via live stream linked below.