Obituary of Morgan John Jones

Dr Morgan John Jones died peacefully surrounded by family on October 30, 2024, at his residence in Redmond, WA after a short battle with cancer. He was 86 years old.

Dr. Jones was a native of Muscatine, Iowa and a 1956 graduate of Muscatine High School. He attended the University of Iowa and played trumpet in the Hawkeye Marching Band, performing in the 1957 and 1959 Tournament of Roses Parades and Rose Bowl games.

Dr. Jones received his Bachelor of Music in 1960 and his Master of Arts in 1962 from The University of Iowa.  In 1972, Dr. Jones was accepted into the doctoral program at Northwestern University, earning his PhD in Music Education in 1975 and completing his doctoral coursework while serving as Director of the Hawkeye Marching Band (HMB), where he began a 20-year career in 1973.

Prior to becoming Director of the HMB, Dr Jones taught at Oak Street Junior High in Burlington, Iowa and at high schools in Morrison, Maywood, and Mt Prospect, Illinois.  During this period, he met and married his late wife, Linda Louise Jones.  They were both graduates of the University of Iowa and talented professional musicians, music educators, and directors.

Dr Jones was a visionary, inclusive leader, laying the foundation for the excellence the HMB exhibits today. The start of his tenure coincided with the implementation of Title IX and he encouraged and embraced inclusion of women in the HMB.  The size of the band doubled in less than ten years, reaching over 280 members at its peak. Dr Jones was known for being an exacting teacher and director, with a no-nonsense approach. He had a subtle sense of humor and deeply cared about his students and colleagues. Over his career, the thousands of HMB members affectionately referred to him as “Dr Jones” or “Mom.” Many went on to successful careers as music educators, directors, and composers.

Dr Jones had a lifelong devotion to the HMB. His uncompromising standards for musicianship and precision marching culminated in the HMB receiving the prestigious Sudler Trophy from the John Philip Sousa Foundation in 1990. In 1996 and 1997, he returned from retirement to restore stability in the band as an interim director. As a final recognition of his contributions and achievements, Dr Jones received the University of Iowa’s highest alumni honor, the 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award at this year’s Iowa Homecoming Weekend.

Beyond his career at the University of Iowa, Dr Jones founded and led the Iowa Ambassadors of Music. Over 3 decades, the program provided opportunities for thousands of high school music students and directors throughout the state of Iowa to travel and perform concerts in Europe. Closer to home, he entertained local audiences as conductor of the Cedar Rapids Municipal Band from 1994 through 2010.

Dr Jones retired to Gold Canyon, Arizona, where he and Linda found a like-minded community to share their passions for music, beautiful scenery, and warm weather. With no shortage of garage space, Dr Jones indulged his lifelong passion for cars, spending many happy days test driving, and sometimes buying, his favorite BMWs, Mini Coopers, and the occasional Jaguar. They shared their time between Arizona and Washington to be with their children and grandchildren, eventually moving full-time to Washington in 2019.

Dr Jones is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Hayden and Elaine Jones of Seattle, WA, and their daughter, Charlotte; and his son and daughter-in-law, Rhys and Brooke Jones of Woodinville, WA, and their children Elinore and Noel.

A visitation ceremony will be held on Saturday, November 16 at 2pm at Gay & Ciha Funeral Services in Iowa City, Iowa.

In lieu of flowers, please donate in his memory to:

Dysautonomia International

https://bit.ly/inmemorydrjones

Next of Kin: Hayden Jones, 2602 43rd Ave W, Seattle, WA 98199.

Or

JDRF - Junior Diabetes Research Foundation

http://bit.ly/2XbCGCu

Next of Kin: Rhys Jones, 17900 185th Ave NE, Woodinville, WA 98072