Michael R. Jones ’76

Michael died March 14, 2025, in Pittsburgh of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. He was retired after a long career in the telecommunications industry with Verizon Communications.

Raised in Moorestown, N.J., Michael was an active youth member of Second Baptist Church. He was a Boy Scout, soccer player, and all-state chorus singer, and served as class president at Moorestown High School. He entered Princeton with the Class of 1975, majored in economics, and concluded his studies with the Class of 1976. Michael’s extracurricular activities included running, singing with the Gospel Ensemble, and working at Business Today magazine. He was a member of the Association of Black Princeton Alumni and participated in ABPA conferences. During college, he met his future wife, Janell Smith, and they were married in 1982. He was a loyal Philadelphia Eagles fan.

After college, Michael began his career in the telecommunications industry at Northern Telecom as a systems engineer. He later moved to Bell Atlantic and Verizon Communications and won numerous corporate awards for the sale of corporate telephony systems. Michael and Janell settled in the Pittsburgh area, where they raised their daughter, Brittany. Michael enjoyed being an active member of Mt. Ararat Baptist Church, where he sang in the Male Chorus, traveling with them to regional gospel workshops, and especially enjoyed his time with the church fine arts ministry Michael also was an avid runner, competing in Cleveland and Pittsburgh 5K and 10K races. Always a storyteller, he enjoyed regaling his family and friends with stories passed down from his elders.

Michael is survived by Janell; Brittany; mother Dora; brothers Gregory and Richard; and extended family.