Rudolph Wagner Jones, Jr., M.D.

Rudolph Wagner Jones, Jr., M.D., 100, of Macon, Georgia passed away on Wednesday, June 16, 2021, after a brief illness. Born in Macon, Georgia on November 12, 1920, he was the son of Rudolph Wagner Jones, Sr., and Gladys Marie Hawkins Jones.

He attended Lanier High School where he served as Cadet Captain in the ROTC and graduated with honors in June 1938. He attended Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, graduating with a BS in Chemistry in 1942. Following Harvard, he entered Cornell Medical School in New York City. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Medical Administrative Reserve during World War II and participated in an accelerated three-year program at Cornell graduating in 1945.

Rudolph met his future wife, Dorothy Zimmerman while he was in medical school at Cornell, and she was in the nursing program.  They were married at New York’s Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church on September 15, 1945.

Dr. Jones completed his internship in 1945-46 at Bellevue Hospital in New York City, and followed that with service as a Captain in the US Army from 1946-48 at Bay Pines Veterans Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida. He did his residency between 1948 and 1949 at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia and followed with a fellowship in 1949-50 at Emory University Medical School. In 1950 Dr. Rudolph Jones and his wife, Dorothy, moved to Macon where he began his practice of internal medicine. It was in Macon that they built their long life together, raising three daughters and a son.

When he retired in 2004, Dr. Jones was described by a Coliseum Hospital tribute as "an icon and an institution,” for his fifty-five years of service in various capacities on the medical staffs of the Macon Hospital, Middle Georgia Hospital, College Street Hospital, Parkview Hospital, Coliseum Medical Centers, Coliseum Psychiatric Center, Macon Northside Hospital, and The Medical Center of Central Georgia.  He aslo served as Chief of Staff at the Macon Hospital and was honored in 1971 by the medical staff of the then new Coliseum Park Hospital by being elected the first Chief of Staff of the Coliseum Park Hospital. He retired from the practice of internal medicine at the age of 84.

Dr. Jones was a member of Vineville United Methodist Church where he served on the Administrative Board and in his latter years served as one of a rotating group of teachers in the George S. Jones Sunday School Class.

Much of his time was devoted to the practice of medicine, but he joined with his father, R.W. Jones, Sr. and his brother John Paul Jones, Sr., in acquiring and operating with family members Georgia Carolina Oil Co. and Power Oil Co., lubricant and gas operations begun by his father and Julian R. Maddux. After selling his share of those companies, he organized the Jones Development and Investment Company which built a signature commercial building at First and Walnut.  During that time, he also served on the Macon Advisory Board of Directors of the Citizens and Southern National Bank.

He was distinguished by his love and concern for his wife and family, cherishing the time with them on holidays and family trips, particularly the wonderful annual trips that the family enjoyed over the last fifty years to Sea Island.

Dr. Jones is predeceased by his beloved wife, Dorothy; his dear daughter, Jeanne Holliday; and his parents, Rudolph and Gladys Jones.  He is survived by his daughters, Suzanne Harper (Buzz) of Macon and Dr. Zoe Jones (Gabriel Pham) of Macon; his son, Rudolph Jones, III (Anne) of Atlanta,  his son-in-law, Peter Holliday, III of Macon; eleven grandchildren, Anne Marie Geary (Bill) of Chicago, Illinois, Mary Alice Goding (Robert) of Columbus, Ohio, Bailey Pham (Alan Arnold) of Dallas, Texas, Carman Gillis (Nate) of Charlotte, North Carolina, Hawkins Pham (Phuong Anh Vo) of Vietnam, Dorothy Peterson (Kort) of Macon, Peter Holliday, IV (Charlotte) of Charlotte, North Carolina, Rudolph Jones, IV of Delray Beach, Florida, Schuyler Pham (Ken Blom) of Los Angeles, California, Barbara Jones of Atlanta and Neal Jones of Mexico City, Mexico; and eighteen great-grandchildren, Harper Geary, Davis Goding, Sam Goding,  Will Geary, Behr Holliday, Mary Blake Gillis, Rosemary Peterson, Brenner Holliday, Amelia Goding, Webb Gillis, Oscar Peterson, Grey Arnold, John Isaac Holliday, Gavilan Pham, Beatrice Peterson, Oona Pham, Fox Arnold, and Sloane Pham. Nephews, Paul Jones, Girard Jones (Susan), and David Jones are part of his extended family.

The family is grateful for Carlyle Place where he moved with his wife and ultimately resided there for ten years, enjoying the facility and his many friends.

Funeral services will be held Monday, June 21, 2021, at 12:30 p.m. at Vineville United Methodist Church with Dr. Sam Rogers, Dr. Marcus Tripp, and the Reverend Jon Brown officiating. The family will greet friends Sunday, June 20, 2021, from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. at Hart’s on Cherry Street.  Burial will be private in Riverside Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers and food, donations may be made to Vineville United Methodist Church, the Arts and Music Program, 2045 Vineville Avenue, Macon, GA 31204.  

 Please visit www.hartsmort.com to express condolences.

Hart’s Mortuary and Cremation Center, 765 Cherry Street, Macon, GA 31201 has charge of the arrangements.

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