Garth N. Jones, Ph.D.

Feb 25, 1925 -

Jul 1, 2020

Garth Jones was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Feb. 25, 1925. He lived a long life of adventure until his passing on July 1, 2020, from a stroke, at the age of 95. He was fortunate to be active and maintain all of his mental abilities until he became sick on June 27, 2020. Garth was buried in the Heber City, Utah, cemetery next to his wife, Marie.

After graduating from Lehi High School in 1942, Garth went to Utah State University, graduating in 1947 with a B.S. degree. He received his M.S. in 1948 and his Ph.D. from the University of Utah in 1954

In 1973, Garth and Marie drove from New York City where Garth was working for the United Nations to Anchorage, Alaska, where he resumed his academic career as the founding Dean of the School of Business and Public Policy at the University of Alaska Anchorage.

Dr. Jones quickly began recruiting faculty and building the business school. He worked closely with Mayor Sullivan and the Municipality of Anchorage and served as a member of the board of directors for the Alaska World Affairs Council. He consulted with Governor Jay Hammond. He worked closely with Walt Parker - a cabinet member for Jay Hammond - and became good friends with Attorney General John Havelock. For the next 25 years he spent most of his time at UAA until he retired. He continued to live in Alaska until 2010. He still owns his home on the hillside where he would return often to enjoy the great outdoors and his many friends.

Garth became a real Alaskan. He got the fishing bug and became a part owner of a lodge on the Talachulitna River. He loved hiking. Once while hiking the Crow Creek Pass he broke his ankle but still hiked the remaining 10 miles! He would go out with the Boy Scouts and spent a lot of time portaging boats on the Gulkana. He became good at swatting mosquitoes and never complained about the cold or the darkness. One day he was skiing Mount Alyeska when the wind chill dropped the temperature to minus 70 F.

He was very proud of his family. His wife Marie worked as the head of the circulation desk at the consortium library and seemed to know everyone in Anchorage. His three sons Edward, Kevin and Drew, all lived in Alaska. Edward worked at the Cook Inlet correction facility. Kevin, an attorney, clerked for a judge in Kenai. Drew attended UAA and graduated from the Oregon School of Dentistry.

How was a farm boy born in poverty during the great depression and who attended a one-room schoolhouse able to achieve so much? The Garth Jones formula follows the American dream. He outworked everyone. He got an education - a Ph.D. He was a patriot. Garth's ancestors first came to America in 1640 and seven of them fought in the Revolutionary War. Incredibly, Garth was a direct descendant of Thomas Jefferson. Follow the gospel of Jesus Christ. Do good works.

There will never be another Garth Jones. The world has changed. We cannot turn the clock back but we can remember him and the things he did to influence our lives.