David F. Jones passed away peacefully in Seattle on May 6, 2018, at the age of 78 after an 18-year struggle with Parkinson’s disease. He was born and raised in Norristown, Pennsylvania and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Subsequently, he underwent training as a nuclear engineer and submariner, serving five years on the U.S.S. Patrick Henry, a Polaris submarine.

In 1969, he left the Navy to attend the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania where he earned an MBA in 1970. A position at the Weyerhaeuser Corporation in Tacoma brought the family to the Pacific Northwest – a land David truly loved. In 1974, he began a career in the nuclear waste business first at Chem-Nuclear in Bellevue and finally with Pacific Nuclear Systems in Federal Way, a company he helped to found and take public. He served as CEO and Chairman of the Board.

In the early 1990s he relocated to the town of his dreams, Friday Harbor, Washington. Together with his wife Nancy and collie, they purchased a home built in 1904, rehabilitated it and moved into it in 1996.

For the ensuing 20 years David devoted himself to the Town of Friday Harbor. He served 10 years as a volunteer firefighter, served on the board of the community theater, the Vestry of St. David’s Episcopal Church, the town council and last but not least, as mayor of the town. He was overjoyed to serve as mayor as the town celebrated its 100th birthday in 2009 and cut the enormous carrot cake with his Academy sword!

David is survived by his brother Richard, Nancy, his wife of 54 years, their two sons Eric (Melissa) and Dwight (Amy), and their three grandchildren, Reid, Marilyn and Brett; all of Seattle. A memorial service will be held at the San Juan Island Yacht Club at 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 23. Gifts in David’s memory may be made to the Town of Friday Harbor to be used for the Town’s Historic Preservation Program.