J. Harry Jones Jr.

J. Harry Jones, Jr., 96, a former Kansas City Star reporter, died on July 22, 2026, of multiple myeloma. He was preceded in death by his wife of nearly 70 years, Joan Mauntz Jones, who died in May 2022. Harry was a creative, kind and thoughtful man who made life more fun, as his wife, Jo, always said. In his later years, he became a prolific poet, writing many humorous poems, both political and otherwise, and some very touching ones. He was born and raised in Kansas City, MO, where he graduated from Pembroke-Country Day in 1948. He graduated from Beloit College, Beloit, WI, in 1952. College sweethearts, he and his wife were married in the Beloit College chapel in 1952. They lived together in Kansas City, then Kamakura and Yokosuka, Japan, then Prairie Village, KS, for 33 years, Osage Beach, MO, for 16 years; Evanston, IL, for 16; and their last years together were in Lincolnwood, IL, where Harry lived since 2019. He was a general assignment reporter for The Star the summers of 1950 and 1952; served 3 ½ years in the U.S. Navy, then returned full time to The Star in 1956, working there until 1980. His journalistic awards included those from the Overseas Press Club, the American Bar Association, The American Civil Liberties Union, the National Association of Social Workers, and the American Political Science Association. He was once a member of the board of directors of Investigative Reporters and Editors (I.R.E.) and a member of its 1977 award-winning Arizona Project. He was the author of The Minutemen (Doubleday, 1968), an investigation into a right-wing, anti-Communist, domestic terrorist organization of the 1960’s. His father, J. Harry Jones, was a reporter for the Kansas City Star for 43 years. His son, J. Harry Jones III, was a reporter for the San Diego Union-Tribune for 33 years. Harry Jr. also wrote several novels, but none were ever published. Jo and Harry were active in the Village Presbyterian Church of Prairie Village, the Lake Presbyterian Church in Osage Beach, and the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Evanston. He sang bass in the choirs of all three churches as well as several other choral groups. He was a member of the A.C.L.U. and the American Scrabble Association, having played internet Scrabble with his son in San Diego almost every day since 2005. In addition to J. Harry Jones III (Cathy), he leaves two daughters, Elizabeth Clemmitt (Richard) of Wilmette, IL, whose devoted care and support allowed him to live a long and full life, and Nancy Shiels (Dennis), of Southern Illinois, whom he did not know existed until 2018 when she, at age 70, found him through DNA matching. He leaves a granddaughter, Cassie Jones, of Southern California, and her daughter, his great-granddaughter, Kiara, plus two grandsons, Ethan Clemmitt, of Seattle, WA, and Adam Clemmitt, currently studying in London. He also has more family through Nancy, including three grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and four great-great grandchildren. He leaves behind his best friend for over 65 years, Charles Hammer of Kansas City, and Harry’s “ladylove” of the past three years, Leota Ester. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Evanston, 1330 Ridge Ave., Evanston, IL, 60201, the A.C.L.U. or Democratic candidates for president or Congress. His only regret is that he did not live long enough to see Trump impeached and behind bars.

A celebration of Harry’s life will be held on Saturday, September 19, at 1 PM, at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Evanston (at the above address).