Martin Leonard Jones

Born in Schenectady, New York, on March 26, 1933, Marty was the son of Norman and Lillian Leonard Jones and brother to Katherine (Kitty) Shanahan Poettgen, Michael Berg Jones, and Judith M. Jones.

Marty’s childhood on the shores of Ballston Lake, New York, provided an opportunity to develop his leadership skills, work ethic, and strong family values. Marty graduated from Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School in 1951, where he earned the honor of the “Boy who did the most for his class”. After graduation, Marty joined his sister, Kitty, at Northwestern University, where he thoroughly enjoyed sharing the campus with her. Following his sophomore year, Marty joined the U.S. Army, training as an IBM repairman. He proudly served in the Army for 33 months before attending Michigan State University, from which he graduated in 1958 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics.

While at MSU, Marty met the love of his life, Mary Margaret (Harrington) Jones. They were married on August 24, 1957. Together, they built a beautiful marriage of 64 years filled with love, discipline, and the pure joy that comes with raising six sons. Marty was the proud father of Stephen (Tamra), Michael (Lee), Timothy (Terri), Brian (Jennifer), Daniel (Kimberly), and Kevin (Marianne). He was a grandfather to 13: Eric Jones, Chad (Noreen) Jones, Michelle (Jason) Abshire, Emily (Brice) Bounds, Melissa (Kenzer) Dirkson, Ryan (Laur Waldman) Jones, Lauren Jones, Meredith Jones, William Jones, Avery (Kelly) Jones, Kelsey Jones, Adam Jones, and Charlotte Jones. In addition, Marty was blessed to be a great-grandfather to six: Charlotte Abshire, Bailey and Hayden Bounds, and Kenlee, Kenzer, and Kimbia Dirkson.

A cornerstone of Marty’s life was his distinguished 35-year career with Ford Motor Company. He was often recognized by others for his creative ideas, particularly his emphasis on the importance of details and organization in both business and personal relationships.

Marty retired on January 1, 1995, after serving in various leadership roles across marketing, sales, service, and human resources. His career included senior management responsibilities at Ford World Headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan, as well as ranking management positions in the metropolitan areas of Detroit, Philadelphia, Chicago, Houston, and Dallas. His career also fueled a love for travel; Marty and Mary journeyed all over the world on incentive trips with Ford affiliates. As his parents did before him, Marty also cherished grand family celebrations of his and Mary's large family, during holidays, birthdays, and especially milestone wedding anniversaries.

Marty and Mary relocated to Austin, Texas, in 1995 and built their dream home in Barton Creek. To anyone who asked, "Why Texas?" Marty would reply that he chose Texas because it was south of a snow shovel, and there was no state income tax. More than anything, it allowed him to be close to three of his six sons who were raising families in the Lone Star State.

Active in his Barton Creek community, Marty served on both the homeowners association and the local water board for many years. He was also a devout parishioner of St. John Neumann Catholic Church, where he was highly involved for 25 years. He faithfully attended Sunday services, served as a lector, and as a weekly volunteer processing the parish receipts and preparing the bank deposits.

The family extends a heartfelt thank you to the exceptional care team at Belmont Village Senior Living, where Marty resided for the last four and a half years.

In addition to his parents, Marty was predeceased by his wife, Mary Harrington Jones, his brother, Michael Berg Jones, and his sister, Judith M. Jones.

A Memorial Mass will take place on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, at 11:00 AM at St. John Neumann Catholic Church, 5455 Bee Caves Road, Austin TX 78746, with an inurnment immediately following the service.

The Jones family warmly invites friends and loved ones to a luncheon celebrating Marty's life in Morris Hall at St. John Neumann following the service.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Marty’s memory to Thrive in Joy, a foundation founded by Goddaughter, Mary Shanahan Fagnano. Please follow the link under "Show your support".