Bio

Gary W. Jones, Class of 1966, played basketball from 1962-1966, helping the team to 54 wins, amassing 1034 career points and grabbing over 1,100 rebounds in an era when a 20-game season was the norm.  He accomplished this despite missing the majority of his senior season due to an ACL injury.

Gary was a versatile player, responding well to the coach moving him from center to guard to the forward position.  He was active near the board, using his strengths of blocking and rebounding to bolster the team.  Gary pulled down 28 rebounds in a single game, setting a school record.  He was named to the Kings All-Tourney Team in 1964 and 1965 and earned team MVP honors in 1964.

Gary is also being recognized for his efforts on the baseball field in the spring of 1966

Gary graduated from ENC with a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and continued his education to earn a Master of Business Administration from Fairleigh Dickinson University and Masters of Divinity from Nazarene Theological Seminary.   He later received a Doctorate of Ministry from Boston University School of Theology.

Gary pastored a Nazarene church in Rock Hill, NY, then became the Director of Admissions at ENC for a time before returning to pastorate ministry in Skowhegan, ME.  After serving in Maine, he accepted a position at Bethel COTN in Quincy, MA before coming back to his alma mater to serve as the Director of Alumni Services.  Gary's next assignment was as the Assistant District Superintendent for the New England District.  He then continued his ministry as a pastor in Manchester, CT.  Since his retirement in 2010 Gary has served as Interim Pastor, Sunday school teacher, choir member and volunteer at Venice Church of the Nazarene in Florida.

Service has always been a part of Gary's life, and he served with Work & Witness teams to Puerto Rico, Belize, New Orleans (following Katrina), Russia and Kenya.  He traveled to Romania while Director of Alumni Services to help set up computers in Romania.

Jones' experiences and dedication have resulted in his election to ENC Who's Who ('66) and General Assembly Delegate (Church of the Nazarene), as well as awards for ENC Alumnus of the Year ('06), NE District Pastor of the Year ('10), and Pastor Emeritus Manchester (CT) Church of the Nazarene ('13).

Gary and wife Juanita (Parry '67) celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this past June.  God has blessed them with three children (all alums) —Jodi Loftus '93 (Cory '94), Jeff Jones '97 (Christina Whetstone '95) and Jen Fuller '97 (Jamie '95) and nine grandchildren.  They enjoy traveling and have journeyed to Israel, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Belgium.