Walter Anthony Jones Sr.

February 09, 1921 - August 05, 2005

Walter Anthony Jones Sr., 84, a prolific artist, died Friday, Aug. 5, 2005. Born in Somerville, Feb. 9, 1921, he was the son of Walter E. Jones and Mary Jane O'Reil ly. Mr. Jones also lived as an adult in Melrose, Wakefield, Walpole, and Woonsocket, R.I.

Mr. Jones, whose interest in art began at an early age, worked as a commercial artist, specializing in greeting card design and book illustration. He maintained an active career painting New England scenes, flowers, waterfowl and horses for private sale, and his work is held in many private collections in the U.S., France, Canada, Australia and Pakistan.

Mr. Jones worked at Melgrove Studio, Melrose; was owner and designer at Rust Craft Greeting Cards, Dedham; was assistant art director and art director at Paramount Cards in Pawtucket, R.I.
He was primarily a water colorist but also worked in oils and acrylics.

Known for his many paintings of harness racing scenes at the New England Harness Raceway in Foxboro, he won the Award of Excellence in Harness Racing Art at the Red Mile Track, Ky.
He was a past finalist in the Federal Duck Stamp Competition in Washington, D.C. His 1983 duck stamp competition was chosen to be part of a traveling exhibit commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Federal Duck Stamp Program.

He exhibited his work at multiple one man shows, including at the Rhode Island Water Color Society Gallery, New England Harness Raceway in Foxboro, Walpole-Massachusetts Arts Council, and most recently at the Providence Art Club, of which he was a member for many years.

Mr. Jones also exhibited in many annual art shows, including American Water Color Society Annual Show, Jordan Marsh Annual Show, `` Art in the Park'' in Boston, Mystic, Conn. Outdoor Art Festival, Boston Watercolor Society Annual Show, Providence Watercolor Club Annual Show, Glastonbury, Conn. Outdoor Art Festival, and Easton, Md. Waterfowl Festival.

Career affiliations were Copley Society of Boston, Boston Water Color Society, Rhode Island Water Color Club, Providence Art Club and American Water Color Society. He was a member and president of the Wakefield Art Association and the Walpole Arts Council. He graduated from Everett High School, Class of 1939, and attended Massachusetts College of Art, 1939 to 1942. Mr. Jones left college in the middle of his third year to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps. He served in World War II from 1942 to 1945, with the rank of corporal. Mr. Jones served as radio operator and combat artist in an anti-tank battalion of the First Marine Division. He saw action in the South Pacific in the American invasions of the Japanese-held islands of Guadacanal, Cape Gloucester and Peleliu.

As a combat artist, Mr. Jones painted dramatic scenes of battle in the South Pacific; he donated his entire collection of close to 50 paintings to the U.S. Marine Corps in 1983. They are now held at the Marine Corps Museum in Washington, D.C.

During the campaign on Guadacanal, one of his paintings produced there was pre sented to Admiral Chester Nimitz while on inspection tour of the combat area. The painting was later given to the Marine Corps Museum at Quantico, VA. He also acted as an official U.S. Coast Guard artist, and depicted many patrol and rescue operation vessels.

Mr. Jones is survived by his devoted brother Robert Jones of East Boston, and children, Virginia A. Davis of Foxboro, Mark O. Jones of Dartmouth, Walter A. Jones of Carlisle, Christopher J. Jones of Leicester, and Jeffrey S. Jones of San Antonio, Texas. He is also survived by 11 grandchildren and 2 greatgrandchildren, and loving friends Elaine Wotherspoon of Woonsocket, R.I., Barbara and Robert Wotherspoon of The Netherlands, George Lacouture of Woonsocket, Brad Lacouture of Walpole and Phyllis Krueger of Dartmouth. He was the brother of the late Dorothy Pouche of Everett, Mass.

Funeral Information

Calling hours are Sunday, Aug. 7 from 5-8 p.m. at the Roberts and Sons Funeral Home, 30 South St., Foxboro. The funeral Mass is Monday, Aug. 8 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary's Church, Carpenter Street, Foxboro. Interment with military honors to follow at Diamond Hill Cemetery, Cumberland, R.I.

Donations Information

Donations, if you wish, Alzheimer's Association of Easter Massachusetts, 36 Cameron Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02140.