Francis T Jones

Dr. Francis T. Jones
October 19, 1933 – April 1, 2025

It is with heavy hearts and fond memories that the family shares the passing of Dr. Francis T. Jones. Raised in Pottsville, Pennsylvania in the WWII era, learning and excelling in academics and piano performance from a young age, Frank (known as “Sonny” in his youth) developed into a stoic, philosophical and spiritual man. He earned a Bachelor of Science from Pennsylvania State University in 1955, and a Doctor of Philosophy from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn (now New York University Tandon School of Engineering) in 1960. He was a postdoctoral GEC fellow at the High Energy Radiation Laboratory of the University of Leeds, England from 1960 to 1962. He then served as a research scientist at the Union Carbide Nuclear Corporation and was a faculty participant at the Oak Ridge National Laboratories in Tennessee. 

For 51 years, Professor Jones was on the faculty of Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey. He was a tenured professor and served as Department Head of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering for 11 years; Department Director of Chemistry, Chemical Biology, and Biomedical Engineering for 8 years; and Director of Chemistry and Chemical Biology for 7 years. He served as the appointed Secretary of the Faculty of Stevens Institute of Technology during his career as a prolific faculty member, known for protecting academic freedom and frequently encouraging professors to stand strong in what they ‘profess.’

It was at Stevens that Frank met Nuran Kumbaraci and together they developed a new undergraduate major in Chemical Biology, which later added MS and PhD degrees and was widely adopted at other universities. Together, they shared and maintained a happy home in Ridgefield, New Jersey, for their two daughters filled with music, intellectual discourse, multi-cultural and religious representation, independence, inspiration, and a healthy dose of humor. 

Throughout his life, Dr. Jones was passionate about both chemistry and music, his second field of interest, and made significant contributions and discoveries in both fields. His doctoral dissertation required constructing a gauge to measure para-hydrogen, one of the forms of hydrogen gas. In Leeds, he developed a technique to measure the spectrum of an unstable species created by ionizing radiation in a low temperature glassy matrix. Among his contributions to music was the digital-analog interface to connect an electronic organ to the pipe organ, making the voices of both instruments simultaneously accessible to the performer. He was known in Bergen County for giving public recitals demonstrating this innovative instrument, and as organist and choir director of Trinity Episcopal Church for 16 years. 

In recognition of outstanding contributions to his profession and community, he is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including Emeritus membership in the American Chemical Society, two-time recognition from the Episcopal Church’s Trinity Award, an awardee of the honorary degree Master of Engineering honoris causae from Stevens Institute of Technology, and is a recipient of the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. 

He is survived by his devoted wife, Dr. Nuran Kumbaraci-Jones, daughter Anne, a physician, son-in-law Tom Leeson, and their children Grace and Ryder; daughter Marian, an architect, son-in-law Cagatay Bilgin, and their children Dylan and Sofie.

A closed-casket funeral service will be held at the beautiful and historic Stone Chapel at Brookside Cemetery, 425 Engle Street in Englewood, New Jersey on Friday, April 4th at 11:00 am with burial immediately following. In lieu of flowers, please honor his legacy and the Kumbaraci-Jones family's commitment to Stevens students and make a gift in support of scholarship funds that will inspire students in Chemical Biology for years to come. Visit give.stevens.edu/francis-t-jones