William R. Jones, 95, pharmaceutical executive

William R. Jones, 95, of Broomall, a retired pharmaceutical company executive, died Sunday, Nov. 23, of cardiac arrest at his home.

Born in 1919, Mr. Jones grew up in South Philadelphia. His early years were filled with school, playing baseball, and working in the family pharmacy at 17th and Federal Streets.

He graduated from Central High School and the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science - now University of the Sciences - and then Drexel University with a master's degree in chemistry.

After a 34-year career, Mr. Jones retired from McNeil Laboratories Inc., a Johnson & Johnson division, in 1981 as vice president of the control division and a member of the firm's management board. His office was in Fort Washington.

Mr. Jones served in the Army and saw both active and reserve duty before retiring in 1979 with the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Ordnance Corps.

In retirement, he served as a trustee of the University of the Sciences. He was devoted to the university and supported it with donations, his family said.

Mr. Jones lived in Havertown before moving to Broomall in 1986.

"To all who knew him, he was a man of strong will and great warmth, and he was a gentleman of the first order," his family said in a tribute. "He taught us to be strong and independent, to be giving and kind, to be organized, focused, and determined."

Mr. Jones was married to Grace DiBenedetto Jones. She died in 1992. Daughter Eileen Riggin died earlier.

Surviving are daughters Mary Ellen and Cynthia McGeever, and two grandsons.

A visitation starting at 10 a.m. will be followed by 11 a.m. services Saturday, Nov. 29, at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church, 415 E. Athens Ave., Ardmore. Interment will be in St. Paul's Cemetery.

Contributions may be made to the University of the Sciences, 600 S. 43d St., Philadelphia 19104, or the Wounded Warrior Project, Box 758517, Topeka, Kan. 66675.