All tagged 2019/09

Mary R. Welsh

Mary R. Welsh passed away peacefully in her sleep on August 16, 2019 at her nursing home at Shell Point, Fort Myers, Florida. She was born Mary Rose Williams in Gaddsten, Alabama, on June 22, 1932. She was the eldest of two children. Her family moved to Columbus, Ga., where Mary excelled as a student, graduating from high school at the age of 15. Around the same time, she was discovered by a modeling agency. She was first a hand and foot model, and then later, a model for Coca-Cola. She featured prominently in the highly successful “Have a Coke” campaign.

Edmund Jones

Edmund Jones of Swarthmore passed away on September 14, 2019 at the age of 101. Ed was born on April 15, 1918 in Chester, Penna to the late Henry Walter Jones and Margaret Witmer Jones. In 1930 the family moved to Swarthmore. He graduated from Swarthmore High School (1935), Swarthmore College (1939), and the University of Pennsylvania Law School (1942). In 1941 he married Adalyn F. Purdy (Lyn). They were married for 72 years until she passed in 2013.

Edmund Jones, longtime Swarthmorean and consummate public citizen, died on Saturday, September 14, at the age of 101. 

A native of Chester, Mr. Jones moved to Swarthmore in eighth grade, and lived here since, except during his time at law school at Penn, in the Army during and after World War II, and as a part-time resident of Harrisburg while serving as a state representative. He had been an active Rotarian since 1946, a founder of the Centennial Foundation, a member of the Swarthmore Friends Meeting, mayor of Swarthmore, a member of Delaware County Council, and a SEPTA board member, among many leadership roles.

A trusts and estates attorney, he practiced law with his father’s firm and his own firm for nearly 75 years. In a 2018 interview with The Swarthmorean, he mused that he was “pretty near retirement.”

An obituary for Mr. Jones, including plans for a memorial service, will appear in next week’s Swarthmorean.

Virginia Butts Cryer, formerly of Wallingford, died September 3, 2019. She was 92. Beloved wife of the late Richard Cryer, Virginia is survived by her daughters Alison Zacharkiw (Peter) and Nancy Mather (Christopher); son Lawrence (Randie); five grandchildren; and one great-grandson.

Beverly Hammond

Longtime Lincoln County, New Mexico, resident Beverly Hammond died peacefully in her sleep on August 10, 2019. The only daughter of Foster and June Putney, Beverly was born and raised in Denver, Colo. After college and a career with United Airlines, she married and raised a family in Swarthmore, Pa.

Frederic L. Pryor

Frederic L. Pryor, a former long-time resident of Swarthmore, passed away peacefully on September 2, 2019 at White Horse Village in Newtown Square, where he had lived for the previous 11 years. He was 86 years old.