Pamela O. (Ong) Jones

Pamela Jones, age 77, of New Paris, died on Monday of complications from a stroke. Born in Hartford, Connecticut to Ralph and Claire Ong, Pam grew up in Chicago and New Jersey, graduating from East Hanover Park High School in Hanover, NJ. She went on to study at Moore College of Art and Design and graduated with a degree in Fine Arts. While in Philadelphia she met Harry Francis Jones of Washington, D.C. and they married in 1962. The partnership lasted 53 years until Harry’s death in 2016.

Pam raised a family and taught art at St. Patrick’s Episcopal Day School in Washington, D.C. for 37 years. She loved horses and horseback riding from early childhood and was finally able to own a number of horses of her own after purchasing her farm in New Paris in 1992. Here she founded and directed an equestrian and art summer camp for girls. In addition to horses, she loved art, which she practiced and taught, gardening, traveling (near and far), and spending time with her grandchildren. She was a tireless advocate for the underprivileged and devoted many hours to causes, including working with women in prison, teaching horse-back riding, and mentoring those recovering from addiction. Pam was an active member of Saint John’s Parish in Altoona.

Pam leaves behind three sons: Andrew, Matthew and John; 5 grandchildren: Claire, Ethan, Spencer, Amy and Charlotte; and a brother, John Ong.

Friends will be received from 9-10am on Sat., Feb. 29, 2020 at Saint John the Evangelist Catholic Church, 309 Lotz Ave., Lakemont, Altoona. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10am, Monsignor Michael Becker celebrant.  Interment will take place at Hull Cemetery, New Paris.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be given to one of the following charities: Bethany Retreat Center (PO Box 129 Frenchville, PA 16836), Doctors Without Borders (PO Box 5030 Hagerstown, MD 21741), or the PBS affiliate, WPSU (WPSU Penn State, 238 Outreach Bldg. University Park, PA 16802).

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