Robert (Bob) Griffith Jones, 87, a former City Council member and Mayor of Virginia Beach, passed away peacefully on June 3, 2023, surrounded by his family. He was born in State College, Pennsylvania, on March 25, 1936, the son of the Reverend Edward H. Jones, D.D. and Dorothy Griffiths Jones. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Carolyn Hazard Jones, his sons Robert Griffith Jones, Jr., and his wife Phyllis Margaret Rhode Jones, of Virginia Beach, and Chester Hazard Jones of Tampa, Florida; granddaughters, Mary Randell Davatchi and her husband Devin Joel Armon Davatchi of Greenville, South Carolina, Pamela Elliott Jones of Virginia Beach, and his sister, Doreen Jones Owens, of Citrus Heights, California.

Bob graduated from Granby High School in the class of 1954, and from Davidson College, class of 1958, where he was elected to the Omicron Delta Kappa honorary fraternity and named to Who's Who Among American College and University Students. He went on to graduate from Yale University Divinity School, where he was inspired by the brothers H. Richard Niebuhr and Reinhold Niebuhr, and subsequently earned a Ph.D. degree from Duke University in 1966 in the field of social psychology.

In his career he served as an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Davidson College, in Davidson, North Carolina and Assistant Dean of Students, Associate Professor and Assistant to the President at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Later he served as a Professor in the Sociology Department at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.

In 1974 he graduated from the University of Virginia Law School and subsequently practiced law in Norfolk and Virginia Beach, where he founded the law firm of Jones, Walker & Lake, P.C. He is listed in Who's Who Publication for Best Lawyers in America.

In addition to being on City Council and the Mayor of Virginia Beach, he also served as chair of the Virginia Beach Development Authority and chair of the Virginia Beach Beautification Commission.

He was an elder in the First Presbyterian Church of Virginia Beach where he led an adult Sunday School class for 22 years.

The family would like to thank all the wonderful and caring staff at Bay Lake Retirement and Assisted Living Community for all their help in taking care of Bob and Carolyn the last 16 months.

A memorial service will be held at the First Presbyterian Church of Virginia Beach, 300 36th Street, on June 26th at 1 PM. A family burial will be at Graham Cemetery in Orange, Virginia. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to The Alzheimer's Association.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Virginian-Pilot from Jun. 21 to Jun. 25, 2023.

Memories and Condolences
for Robert Jones

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5 Entries

Emlyn Jones

June 26, 2023

Bob was a cousin of mine. I grew up in Glendale CA but got to know Bob when his family would travel to the Los Angeles area to visit with his grandfather and other relatives. We crossed paths many times over the years. I always enjoyed visiting with Bob and Caroline. I enjoyed the wide ranging discussions we had. I will miss Bob and offer my sincere condolences to Caroline and the boys.

Fred Talbott

June 26, 2023

I will always remember and treasure Bob as a magnificent friend and most positive, inspiring spirit. We met when I had written a story about an elderly, helpless and wealthy woman who had almost been kidnapped--Virginia Beach judges asked Bob to help her, citing his reputation as a most honest, caring, and superbly competent attorney dedicated to the best for all he knew and represented. He was superb. Through the years we shared great talks and ideas, with Bob always adding an always-welcomed combination of joy, faith, encouragement, and belief and wonder. He also shared amazing vision and adaptation, understanding that our lives are adventures of change and possibility. While teaching leadership at Vanderbilt and the University of Richmond I always shared his wonderful story. We will miss you, Bob, and forever treasure the gifts of courage and constantly refreshed enlightenment you shared and will through all who knew you continue to share. You truly earned the highest of honors: you were and will forever be a Good Man.

mark garcea

June 25, 2023

Bob was an outstanding Man and great attorney and very compassionate and will be truly missed. I always enjoyed seeing him and talking with him. My prayers are with him and his family and will miss him. God Bless him and to my friend Well Done , Well Done your life !

Evan (Van) Hughes

June 25, 2023

Bob was one of my two East Coast cousins - the other his sister Doreen. He entered my adult life about 60 years ago when he was guest preacher at his father´s church in Los Angeles. Ten years later I began visiting Bob and Carolyn in Virginia when on business trips to WashDC. What wonderful company! Bob had such wide-ranging interests, scholarly competence and curiosity. I liked to stay over on weekends, enjoy conversation with Bob and Carolyn, and his guiding a local trip, plus the discussion he led in the Bob Jones Sunday School Class for adults. On half-day trips out from Virginia Beach he was driver and guide, on everything: history, sites, politics, religion, sports. A cousin, friend, companion and scholar!

Edward, Linda, Mike, Doug Glisson & RW

June 24, 2023

Sorry for the loss of Bob Jones, he was a good man and always friendly to our family. Mr Jones will be missed by all who knew him.

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