30th October 1934 – 17th September 2014
The passing of “Johnny” Jones hit his many friends in Aycliffe hard and he will be greatly missed. He bore his most recent illnesses bravely and was supported magnificently by his wife Freda and immediate family from when he had his triple heart bypass a few years ago.
John Henry Jones was born and educated in Wheatley Hill. He left school at 16 without any formal qualifications and went down the Pit. John hated it and ran away after 4 weeks to join the Coldstream Guards. They discovered he was too young and sent him home after 3 months.
John served an apprenticeship as a shoe repairer in Trimdon then joined the RAF at 18 as an RAF Policeman and became a Dog Handler.
One of The Town’s earliest residents he came here to work as a Fireman when the new Fire Station opened in 1961. He was an excellent fundraiser and worked tirelessly on behalf of the Fire Brigade National Benevolent Association who he represented in the Northern Region.
In his spare time he mended shoes in a shed in his back garden and was also the Group Scout Master at 2nd Newton Aycliffe who met at St Clare’s Church until John and his Committee built the new Scout Centre at Bluebell Way.
Preparing for life after the Fire Brigade, John bought a minibus in 1975 and formed J&C Coaches, a business which still runs to this day by the family.
He left the Fire Brigade in 1980 to concentrate on this new venture and moved into their current premises on Aycliffe Business Park.
He was invited to join the town’s Rotary Club in 1985 and was an active member right up to his death. He was particularly known for being Santa Claus, making private visits and touring the streets with the sleigh. The club will remember him for his quick wit and dry humour.
He was a loving husband to Freda over their 55 years of marriage and a much loved father of Neville and Debbie and Grandfather to Ryan, Charlotte, Olivia, Emily and Thomas.
Newton News extend sincere condolences to the family on behalf of the community Johnny served well, both as a businessman and benefactor.
