Curtiss Jones, 75, councilman's dad

CURTISS JONES had a mean uppercut and left hook, which he employed to beat a British boxer while stationed with the Air Force in England.

Back home in Philly he didn't have much need for his boxing prowess, but he fought hard for the candidacy of his son, City Councilman Curtis Jones Jr., and other Democratic politicians.

Curtiss, longtime employee of the W. Seitchik accounting firm in Philadelphia, Air Force veteran and devoted family man, died Wednesday. He was 75 and lived in West Philadelphia.

He was born in Philadelphia, one of the nine children of Shelly Jones and Pearl Gibbs. He earned an associate degree from the William Penn Business College and attended Temple University to study accounting.

Curtiss served in the Air Force in the '50s and, while stationed in England, fought in the Brittanic Shield Boxing Tournament.

"His right uppercut and left hook were notorious," his family said.

Curtiss was a world traveler. He visited Africa, England, Germany, France and Korea, and he was not shy about passing on his adventures to friends and family, and frequently wrote about them.

"We all feel as though we have lived on these far-off adventures through his storytelling," his family said. "He was a man of many words. He was the prince of the English language and many times you would have to look up the words he wrote."

Curtiss was also a cartoonist, and made all his own greeting cards.

"Curtiss was also the family's master chef," his family said. "He loved to cook for us and we loved to eat.

As a political worker, Curtiss volunteered on numerous presidential, congressional and senate campaigns.

In 1980, he ran as an uncommitted delegate in the 2nd Congressional District for a seat at the Democratic National Convention.

He married Barbara Elizabeth Spencer in 1957, and that union produced his sons, Curtis Joseph Jones Jr. and Keith Jeffrey Jones.

The marriage ended in divorce, and he later married Sandra Hicks.

Curtiss was the family patriarch to whom family and friends turned for advice and consolation. They relished the wisdom that he had gathered during an adventurous life.

Besides his wife and sons, he is survived by three brothers, Clarence, Shelly and Calvin; four sisters, Barbara, Joyce, Paulette and Blanche; six grandchildren and a number of great-grandchildren. He also is survived by Jazelle, whom he always referred to as his daughter. He was predeceased by another daughter, Yvonne.

Services: 10 a.m. tomorrow at Pinn Memorial Baptist Church, 2251 N. 54th St. Friends may call at 9 a.m. Burial will be private.