On Sunday, Jan. 5, Wilton resident Eugene “Doug” Jones was surrounded by friends and family to celebrate his 100th birthday, which he marked the next day.

Jones, an Army veteran, moved to Wilton 70 years ago with his wife Betty, a well-known soprano. A graduate of NYU’s College of Engineering, he specialized in urban planning and transportation engineering. Before he retired, Jones was involved in several major projects, including the first-ever container terminal in Boston Harbor, the Garden State Parkway, Denver International Airport, the South Jersey Rapid Transit System, and people movers now used in airports worldwide.

As GOOD Morning Wilton wrote in a 2020 series on race in Wilton, Doug and Betty Jones were one of the first Black families to move to Wilton in the mid-1950s. They were among the founding members of Stay at Home in Wilton in 2010, and Doug is also a long-time member of the Wilton Kiwanis Club. He also served on the board of trustees of Sarah Lawrence College, the Goodspeed Opera House and the Maritime Aquarium of Norwalk.

Contributions: Lisa Roman, Jack McFadden

  • Doug Jones celebrates his 100th birthday Credit: Jack McFadden
  • Doug Jones’ family at his 100th birthday celebration: Hunter Shipp, Wesley Shipp, Samantha Jones and Julianne Shipp Credit: Jack McFadden
  • Opera singer and Wilton Police Lt. Anna Tornello with violinist McNeil Johnson at Doug Jones’ 100th birthday celebration Credit: Jack McFadden
  • Doug Jones was the speaker at Stay at Home in Wilton’s 10th anniversary Credit: Stay at Home in Wilton
  • The founding members of Stay at Home in Wilton at the group’s 10th anniversary. Doug Jones is seated at the center Credit: Stay at Home in Wilton