David R. Jones (journalist)

Jones was born to Ruth Dillon and David R. Jones in Connellsville, Pennsylvania in 1931 or 1932.[3][4] His mother was a teacher, and his father a civil engineer.[5][6]

Jones attended South Side School in Connellsville.[7] In the 3rd grade play, "Switzerland", he sang a duet with Ruth Schoenborn in the second act and narrated the fourth act.[7]

Jones was cited for having perfect attendance in the tenth grade at Connellsville Joint High School.[8] During high school, he edited the school newspaper, the Coker, served as class treasurer, and became a member of the National Honor Society.[9] He graduated On June 2, 1950, with several scholarships for university.[10]

Jones studied journalism at Pennsylvania State University.[2] He reported for the school newspaper, the Daily Collegian, and spent his summers reporting for his hometown newspaper, The Daily Courier.[11][12] He was named editor of the Collegian his senior year.[11] He was a member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity and the Sigma Delta Chi professional journalism fraternity.[2] In 1953, he received a citation for being an outstanding student in the Journalism school.[13] Jones participated in the Air Force ROTC (AFROTC) program, including training at Moody Air Force Base in the summer of 1953.[14] He graduated with his B.A. in Journalism in 1954, then started work on a Master's degree before entering the Air Force in 1955.[2][15][12]

While working for The Wall Street Journal, Jones continued his studies at New York University, receiving his M.A. in American History in 1961.[4][15]

Jones began his Air Force service as a second lieutenant (his rank acquired through the AFROTC program) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base on February 14, 1955.[12] He served in the public information branch of the Office of Information Services at the base.[2]

The Wall Street Journal hired Jones after he left the Air Force in 1957.[15] He started in the New York City office, then, in 1961, moved to manage the Pittsburgh bureau.[15] He left the paper in 1963.[16] During his tenure, he received two Gerald Loeb Awards for Newspapers for his work published in the Journal – the first as part of a team in 1961, the second by himself in 1963.[15][17]

Jones took a month long vacation in Europe before starting at The New York Times Detroit bureau covering Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana.[16][4] He moved to Washington, D.C., in 1965 to report on labor issues before being promoted to assistant editor of the bureau in 1968.[4][18] He moved back to New York City the following year when he was promoted to assistant national editor.[19] In 1972, he replaced Eugene L. Roberts Jr. as the paper's national editor.[4]

Jones was named the editor of national editions in 1987.[19] The role involved reconfiguring and developing the eight regional editions of the Times.[19]

Jone's final promotion was to assistant managing editor in 1989.[20][21] He retired c. 1997.[22]

Jones met Mary Lee Lauffer while they were both reporters for the Daily Collegian.[2] They married on October 8, 1955, while Jones was serving in the Air Force.[2] Mary received her B.A. in Journalism earlier that year and was employed as a reporter for the woman's page of the Dayton Journal Herald.[2]

The couple's daughter, Elizabeth, is a founding director of Page 73 Productions, which focuses on developing and producing plays by early-career playwrights in New York City.[21][23]