| Jesse Lee Jones | |
| Birth Date: | November 13, 1936 |
| Dan: | 9 |
Jesse Jones was born on November 13, 1936, in Big Sandy, Texas.[1] He died on July 14, 2014.[2] He was the son of Hattie Chalk and Truman Jones.[1]
Jones was a former member of the United States Marine Corps.[3] He served from 1952 to 1973, having served in the Korean and Vietnam Wars.[1] He earned two Purple Hearts during his tenure.[1]
Jones learned Judo while a member of the US Marines. He went on to teach Judo for over 55 years.[3] During this time, he implemented a number of Judo programs in the San Diego Area as well as Southwestern College.[3] He organized a number of tournaments at Southwestern College.[4] Jones served as the Southwest Judo Association Yudankashi's first vice president.[5] Jones was also a President of the United States Judo Association.[3] It was during this tenure that he brought the organization back from almost closing due to bankruptcy.[3] He won the United States Judo Association's Coach of the Year Award in 2013.[3] He served as a technical advisor during the US Olympics in Los Angeles in 1984 and Atlanta in 1996.[1] Jones also earned the United States Judo Associations USJA Lifetime Achievement Award.[1]
Jones married Joan Seidel and had two children, Andrea Lee and Nicole Suzanne.[1] Jones earned his MBA from San Diego State.[1]