Dr. Milnor Jones, died Tuesday night, February 19, 2013. He was 87 years old.
He was born in Athens on March 14, 1925. He was the son of Billie Dodson and Cyril William Jones, Sr.
both of Athens. He is preceded in death by his brother, Cyril William Jones, III, of Big Piney, WY.
He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Miriam Conner Jones of Athens, two daughters; Miriam Jones
Degrandi (Tom) of Manchester, CT; and Camille Jones Turner (Don) of Nashville, TN and a son Jonathan
Milnor Jones (JoAnn) of Memphis, TN; and a sister, Caroline Jones Ascher (Rick) of Oak Park, IL.
He had 5 grandchildren; Miles and Emma DeGrandi; Cyril Turner, and Paul & Andrew Jones, in addition to
numerous nieces and nephews.
Dr. Jones was a life-long member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church of Athens.
He attended Forest Hills Elementary in Athens and was a member or the graduating class of 1943 from
the Tennessee Military Institute of Sweetwater, TN. Following high school he attended Vanderbilt
University in Nashville, TN, graduating in 1948 from the pre-med program. He completed his medical
internship and surgical residency through Emory University, working at Grady Hospital in downtown
Atlanta, GA.
Dr. Jones returned to Athens in August 1953 and joined the staff at Epperson Hospital. He is believed
to be the first surgeon between Chattanooga and Knoxville to be board-certified by the American
College of Surgeons. Dr. Jones practiced general surgery and internal medicine until his retirement
in December 1989. During his tenure, he assisted in the sale of Epperson Hospital to the Hospital
Corporation of America. This merger modernized the Athens Medical community, the heart of which
is now the Athens Regional Medical Center.
Jones was very active in a variety of organizations. His leadership roles included being chairman
of the Athens City Schools Board of Education for nearly 30 years, a director and chairman of the
board for First National Bank of Athens and its subsidiaries for more than 20 years, and a former
president of the Tennessee Chapter of the American College of Surgeons. In retirement, he continued
serving Athens in a variety of local organizations that were very close to his heart.
Donations may be made to the charity of your choice or to : St. Paul's Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 326,
Athens, TN 37303; Athens Area Council of the Arts, 320 N. White Street, Athens,TN 37303;
McMinn County Living Heritage Museum, 372 W. Madison Avenue, Athens, TN 37303;E.G> Public Library,
1289 Ingleside Avenue, Athens, TN 37303; United Way of McMinn County, 111 N. Church Street, Athens,TN
37303; or Tennessee Wesleyan College, 204 E. College Street, Athens, TN 37303.
Dr. Jones was a life-long member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church of Athens.
He attended Forest Hills Elementary School in Athens and was a member of the graduating class of 1943
from the Tennessee Military Institute of Sweetwater, TN. Following high school he attended Vanderbilt
University in Nashville, TN, graduating in 1948 from the pre-
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