Farewell to Lanny Jones ’66, a Princeton Original

The phone rang on a Sunday morning in June, and Landon “Lanny” Jones ’66 was on the other end. “Peter, I have a few things I need to talk to you about.”

He pitched a story for next year’s 100th anniversary of the release of The Great Gatsby. He asked about a book a friend was working on. And he wanted to know about a PAW project we had discussed. It was not unlike other conversations we’d had in the previous two years, except this time Jones was calling from the hospital.

Jones died less than two months later, on Aug. 17, at the age of 80, thus ending an incredible life for a journalism giant, beloved Princeton figure, and devoted husband and father.

“He was so sick that day,” says Cassie Jones, who was at her father’s side. “But it was such a my-dad moment.”

In addition to Cassie, Jones is survived by two other children, Rebecca Urciuoli ’93 and Landon Jones ’97; six grandchildren; and Sarah, his wife of 54 years. “They were a real partnership, and he loved her very much,” Landon says.

John McPhee ’53, the prolific writer and Princeton professor, knew Jones and knew about his work ethic. “He had a lot of problems with his health, over years not months, and he was still suggesting stories. That’s a legacy in itself,” McPhee says.

Jones and McPhee first intersected at PAW. After graduating, Jones joined Time Inc., and three years later McPhee was a member of the editorial board that hired Jones as PAW’s editor. It was the fall of 1969, the first year of coeducation and the height of antiwar protests on campus.

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Remembering Journalism Giant ‘Lanny’ Jones ’66

Jones, who died Aug. 17, edited magazines including People, Money, and PAW

“I remember Lanny telling me that he took the job because of the news opportunities presented,” says Jim Merritt ’66, Jones’ roommate and a PAW editor from 1989 to ’99. “He was a rising star at Time magazine. Colleagues there told him he was crazy to leave. As one put it, ‘Maybe, if you’re lucky, when you’re ready to move on you can get another job at Time Inc.’”

Jones did get another job at Time Inc., returning in 1974 to help start People magazine, which he built into one of the most popular periodicals of the past half century. He also was managing editor of Money and the author of four books, including Celebrity Nation: How America Evolved into a Culture of Fans and Followers, released in 2023.

Throughout his career, Jones stayed connected to the Princeton community, living in town for more than 50 years, working with students, and offering his services to PAW editors.

“Few people cared about PAW as much as Lanny did,” says Marilyn Marks *86, PAW editor from 2002 to ’22. “He took me under his wing immediately after I arrived. He made sure I knew he was always there if I had a question or needed some advice. He told me stories about PAW and Princeton history.”

Adds Sandy Martin ’66, another roommate: “Lanny was known to, and loved by, more people than anyone I have known in my lifetime, and this, I believe, was because he was a wonderfully curious and open person who listened carefully and engaged thoughtfully with every person he encountered.”

Jones suffered from hearing loss following a case of mumps as a child and contended with other health issues later in life, including needing a bone marrow transplant in 2019. “It was a rocky five years … with long hospital stays and at times acute discomfort and pain,” says Merritt. “But you’d never know it. He took every day as a gift.”

A memorial service open to the community is scheduled for Nov. 15 at 1:30 p.m. at the Princeton University Chapel.