Col. Olin Jones, USMC (Ret): 1919-2013

Colonel Olin Jones - Celebrated Soldier, Legal Officer, Family Man

   CORONADO – He served in three wars, was a respected law professor and a major contributor to his community. But for Olin Jones, his family was his greatest pride, his greatest accomplishment. He had lived in Coronado since 1962.

   The beloved, 93-year-old retired Marine Colonel died March 15 at Paradise Valley Hospital, with his daughters at his side, holding his hands. The cause of death was pulmonary fibrosis.

   Over nearly three decades, and as a member of the Greatest Generation, he served as a field artillery battery commander and executive officer on Iwo Jima in the Pacific Theater, and later in Korea. He also served as Deputy Chief of Staff of the Marine Amphibious Forces in Vietnam.

   Olin Welborn Jones Jr. was born April 9, 1919, in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, one of the earliest European settlements, referred to on the maps as, “Indian Territory.” He was born to Olin W. Jones, Sr., and Anna Love Kimball. He lived through the oil boom of the Roaring Twenties, the Dust Bowl of the 1930s and the Great Depression. He graduated from Norman High School (1937) and earned a BA degree from the University of Oklahoma (1940).

   He joined the Marine Corps in 1941, and received his LLB degree from George Washington University School of Law (1947).

   During his long career, Jones’ assignments included being senior legal officer for a Marine division and Marine air wing, as well as duty at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, the Marine Corps Department of the Pacific (San Francisco), Headquarters of the Pacific Fleet Marine Force, and Headquarters of the U.S. Marine Corps in Washington, DC. He was also assigned to service in the office of the Judge Advocate General of the U.S. Navy.

   His highest honor as a legal officer occurred in 1964 when the Marine Commandant recommended Jones to the Secretary of the Navy for appointment to the position of Judge Advocate General of the Navy. Although he wasn’t selected, the fact that he was one of the few interviewed was an extremely proud point in his career.

   “Olin was a slice of history,” said good friend, LaGard Smith. “He came within a whisker’s breadth of being the top legal officer in the Navy, and was at the highest level of his profession nationally.”

   Colonel Jones retired from military service in 1967 with 22 citations (including the Legion of Merit with Combat V). At that time he worked for a period as chief corporate counsel for Lance Alworth, the famed Chargers wide receiver, and Pro Football Hall of Famer, who owned a string of business franchises in San Diego.

   In the early 1970s, Colonel Jones became a full partner at the San Diego law firm of Klitgaard & Jones. He was appointed to the faculty of the Pepperdine University School of Law (Malibu) in 1974, where he taught contract law for 13 years before retiring in 1987.

   “Behind Olin's scowling persona and growly voice was an inveterate softie who was loved by his students and everyone he met for his dry wit, practical wisdom, easy laughter, and urbane gentlemanliness,” said Smith, who was also his colleague on the Pepperdine law faculty.

   “Although Olin was generally a by-the-book kind of guy, his genius was in knowing when to throw the book away in face of exceptional circumstances or a higher priority. Placing a high value on intellectual honestly and candor, Olin did not suffer foolish talk or actions gladly, but cut right through political correctness, double-talk, or party lines to tell it like it was. He was a straight talker and a straight walker ... with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. That was Colonel Olin Jones,” said Smith.

   In retirement, Colonel Jones was never idle. He served as a Senior Volunteer with the Coronado Police Department from 1998-2004, spent time on his sailboat, played golf, and loved traveling the world with his wife Katherine and their two daughters, Deena and Nona.

   “Dad never missed a reunion of his 1941 USMC 5th ROC Class,” said daughter Nona. “He was active in coordinating their events as well. When he was 90, he flew to Quantico, VA, rented a van, and drove several classmates to Washington DC.” Jones’ class was honored that year in a parade through the nation’s capital. He has a brick at the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation in Quantico, VA.

   Olin Jones was a founding member of the Coronado Cays Yacht Club and remained very active there. He was member of the board and past president of the Coronado Cays Homeowner’s Association. Olin Jones was also a major supporter at Coronado’s St. Paul’s Methodist Church. He served on their board of trustees and remained very active in the church for many years, serving as the church historian.

   “As was true of so many in his can-do generation,” recalled LaGard Smith, “Olin was a practical ‘fixer,’ whether as an artillery commander, legal officer, concerned citizen, or even as a longsuffering Chargers and Padres fan who, in his mind, at least, could coach the teams far better than those on the field.”

   An example of his can-do attitude occurred when Colonel Jones realized the city of Coronado didn’t have a list of disabled parking spaces, so he compiled one for them. Then, towards the end, he helped his retirement community (Paradise Village) devise new traffic patterns to ease parking lot congestion. His level head and easy-going nature won over everyone in his path, and made him a very popular and respected friend and member of that community.

   “Olin was a raconteur extraordinaire,” said Smith, “who had a wealth of stories to tell. So many good stories, in fact, that a former Pepperdine colleague said he himself repeated them often enough that he should send Olin royalties. 

   “That most of Olin's stories were recollections of personal experiences only underlined what a colorful life he led as a Marine, attorney, law professor, and seasoned world traveler.”

   His wife of 67 years, Katherine Wheeler-Jones, and two daughters survive him - Wynona Nash (Jack) of Eureka, and Mardeena Weber of Coronado. Olin and Kaye had just celebrated 67 years of marriage, and he was on the eve of his 94th birthday.

   Three grandchildren – Burleigh Wilson of Eureka, and Bretton and Justin Weber of Coronado, also survive him. A memorial service for the family was held March 19. A brief, and final interment at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery is planned for 1:30 p.m. Friday, May 10, and friends are invited to attend.

   The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the U.S. Marine Corps Museum of San Diego, “In Memory of Colonel Olin Jones.”