By Viviane Faver
A 64-year-old World War II veteran and lifesaver at Jones Beach State Park, Reggie Jones Sr., died aged 93 on January 30 at Rockville Center.
Jones worked every summer at Jones Beach on Long Island from 1944 to 2008. He passed a running and swimming test every year before missing the cut for lifeguards in 2009 when he was 81. According to his son, Reggie Jones Jr, he never complained and just knew those were the parameters.
Jones served in the Navy during World War II and then went on to get bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education. He taught social studies for 32 years at Garden City Junior High School and coached the school’s wrestling team for 11 years.
Jones made numerous life-saving rescues while working as a lifeguard, his son said. “He never really embellished or made it more important than it was,” Jones Jr. said. “He thought he was doing his job. He wasn’t a showoff in that respect and wasn’t searching for hero worship.”
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