Steve Brown informed us of Tom’s passing:

I am writing with  the unfortunate news that our classmate, Tom Jones,  passed away last Thursday, March 17 2022 after an extended battle with ALS. Many of you may recall seeing Tom last on our class Zoom on Sept. 27, 2021 in which he told us about his path to a career practicing law in China and his love of Chinese art.  I am sure that all of our thoughts and prayers are with his wife and 2 daughters.

From Tom’s daughter, Kailin:

I just wanted to send a brief note and update from the Thomas Jones family. As many of you already know, my father passed away yesterday afternoon. My mom, Kairei and I were by his side holding his hand during his last breaths. On the night of the 16th, we were all together along with my Dad’s dear friend, Lennart, visiting from Sweden, dancing around his bedside listening to a mix of Nina Simone, Bach, the Beatles (“Drive My Car”) and Bob Marley, drinking rum and cola (“Rum and Cola” Andrew Sisters)–he had a few bites of cold sesame noodles with shredded chicken and cucumber that my mom cooked and he and I shared a mini magnum ice cream bar. 

I have compiled a website and some photographs at https://www.myfarewelling.com/memorial/thomasejones#gallery.

From Kent Rude:

Tom knew he had ALS when he penned this statement for our 50th reunion book below, but he chose not to mention it along with ALS being the reason he was spending more time in Boston than in his beloved home in China. Tom died of this dreaded disease on March 17, 2022 at 72 years of age. He leaves his wife, Liping, and two children, Kailin and Kairei. Kailin is a graduate student and Kairei is a high school sophomore. A middle son, Kaiwan, died at age 3. Tom plans to join him in the Mt. Auburn Cemetery’s Story Chapel Columbarium, a mausoleum, in Cambridge. Tom was drawn to this site because of its bucolic and reflective character and its resemblance to the Planting Fields Arboretum on Long Island where Tom’s father was the director and Tom spent a great deal of time as a boy.

He had a remarkable life and will be missed.

Tom’s personal statement in our 50th Reunion Book:

Like many of our classmates when I arrived at Williams, I began to question how I happened to be admitted—was it by mistake?  This sense of insecurity stayed with me throughout the next four years.  Further, unlike many of you, in my senior year, I didn’t have a clue what I was going to do after graduation—I had always wanted to live overseas, and running out of time as a senior, I applied in the Spring for the Williams-in-HK program. Bill Briggeman and I were selected. Little did I know that in August after graduation, I would wake up in a YMCA in Kowloon and look out at the crowded apartments next door (HK is one of the most densely populated places in the world) and the HK Harbor.  The then British Colony was about as far removed and different from Williamstown as I could imagine.

After teaching for a year there and in Taiwan and pursuing two master’s degrees and a JD, I was fortunate to land my first legal job back in HK with one of the first foreign firms to set up there.  It was 1980, and China, a very undeveloped nation, was just opening its doors after the Cultural Revolution to foreign investment.  By chance, I just happened to be there at the beginning and rode the wave of investment for the following 40 plus years. From 1980 to today, per capita income in China has gone from $195 to $8,840 per capita, increasing 43 times. As an early participant, I had the good fortune to work on many deals, which were the first of their kind in China.  The first listing of a Chinese company on NYSE,  first Coca-Cola,  McDonald’s restaurant and GM joint ventures, and so on, played a role in developing the legal infrastructure for foreign investment.

Coincidentally, as China opened for business, antiquities and other works of art began to flow into Hong Kong to be purchased by collectors and dealers from all over the world. I spent my Saturdays looking for treasures and meeting dealers and collectors en route forming close relations with many of them.

I moved to Beijing in 1989 right after Tiananmen (June 4th) and saw the bullet holes in the walls of the apartments and tank marks on the square, and soldiers with rifles standing on every street corner.  I also met my wife that year and married two years later. My wife and I shared a passion for Chinese art and formed collections of Chinese furniture, paintings, and export silver over the years.  I am finishing a book about our furniture collection, which the Forbidden City Press may publish in Beijing.  I also established a Chinese Art Fund with Bill Strong, which was one of the first of its kind and was probably one of the least successful investments that Bill has ever made —although we didn’t lose money, and it was fun.

After working at one American firm, and two English firms, I am now a senior consultant with a leading Chinese law firm, having gone full circle.  Without Williams, I wouldn’t have been able to have done any of this, and I know many of you feel the same way. Nor would I have made so many lasting friendships which I treasure to this day. I hope to catch up with you all at our 50th Reunion next August! I have been spending a considerable amount of time in Boston recently, so; please look me up if you are passing by.

Tom’s Statement for our 25th Reunion Book:

My first port of call after Williams was Hong Kong, where Bill Briggeman and I were the class of ‘71s participants in the Williams-in-Hong Kong program, teaching English at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. This was to change my life forever.  I recall that a group of us applied to visit China, but our application was rejected, as the Cultural Revolution was in full swing and foreigners were verboten in the “ Middle Kingdom. “ I would come back in 1980 ( after having taught in Taiwan for two years and  having obtained a masters degree from the Harvard University Graduation School of Education,  a masters in Asian Studies from Berkeley and finally  a J.D.  from Boalt Hall at Berkeley). I have remained here since then, apart from a 2 1/2 year stint in Beijing (1989–91 ) where I met my wife Zhang Liping. Our daughter, Kaitlin, was born in 1994 and loves to spend time in Beijing with her grandparents who adore her and who are very similar to how I remember my grandparents except for the fact that they are members of the Communist Party.

 I am  now a partner at the English law firm Freshfields , a firm established in London over 250 years ago. Eph  Williams may of heard of the firm, although it would’ve been extremely unlikely that he would’ve use them to prepare his will! I spend my time( and Gene Bauer kind attest to this) advising foreign companies on how to invest in China without losing their shirts, exact of course in legal fees! I look forward to seeing you all at our reunion.