Clarence Edward Jones, 89, passed away surrounded by family on Saturday, December 28, 2024. Born June 18, 1935 in Savannah, Georgia, he was the son of the late Ralph and Edna Jones.
Ed graduated from Georgia Tech in 1958 with a degree in Electrical Engineering. After graduating, he worked in Patuxent River, Maryland where he met Shirley. They were later married in Plant City, Florida on September 27, 1959. He worked at Cape Canaveral before obtaining a job with Martin Marietta in 1960 where he relocated to Orlando, Florida. While at Martin, he worked on guidance systems for Pershing and Sprint missile systems. He developed a patent for rocket systems and also worked on the Targeting Acquisition and Designation System (TADS) for the Apache helicopters. He did most of the hardware design for the Guidance and Development Center. He managed the Simulation Test Laboratory for over ten years. Ed retired from Martin Marietta (Lockheed Martin) after 32 years.
After retiring, Ed joined the group of retired Martin employees (RAMM/REALM) and managed their data base for members and the mailing of their newsletters for over thirty years.
Ed enjoyed tennis, sailing, square dancing, biking with a neighborhood group, photography, woodworking, stained glass creations, working on computers and spending time with family.
He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Shirley Jones; three sons Gregory, Jeffrey, and Timothy (Kimberly); two grandchildren Katelyn and Brandon; survived by his sisters Anita (late husband, Earl), and Marge (Danny) and many nieces and nephews; preceded in death by his brother Norbert (Janice) and sister Carol.
The family would like to thank you all for your support. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Service will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. Friday, January 10, 2025, at Generations Church at 1001 Hoffner Ave. Orlando, Fl. 32809. A private burial will be held for family only, following the services.