Mercer William Jones

Mercer William Jones, 70, of Kennett Square, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family, on January 24, 2025. Born in West Chester, Pennsylvania, he was the youngest son of the late Earl T. “Pete” Jones, Sr. and Ida Green Jones.

Mercer graduated from Kennett High School in 1972 where he was an active member of the choir and band playing the trombone. His true passion was sports, excelling in both baseball and basketball. He started playing baseball at age 8 with the KAU Little League. He played three years varsity at Kennett High School, four years at Spring Garden College with invitations to try out for major league teams, 16 years in the West Chester Adult League and 14 years in the Kennett Men’s Senior League. Mercer also played several years of Sam Tavoni Softball and received the John E. Watson award at Kennett High School for outstanding baseball player. After high school, Mercer pursued higher education, earning a degree in Business Administration and Management from Spring Garden College. He later attended and completed an advanced degree program through The Stoner Graduate School of Banking at University of Delaware. Mercer dedicated over 30 years of his career to banking, working at Meridian Bank, First National Bank of West Chester, and Morgan Stanley. In his later years, he worked for Atlas Refinishing, Thomas Furniture, Wyncote Golf Club, Loch Nairn Country Club, and for nine years at Kuzo Funeral Home, Inc., until his retirement.

A lifelong resident of Kennett Square, Mercer was an active member of Galilee UAME Church, where he served as an officer and sang in the choir. He was also a member of the UAME Conference Choir, the Kennett Community Choir, and the Finance Committee of the UAME Brotherhood.

Mercer was recognized by the House of Representatives for being named an official torchbearer in the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. He was selected to participate in the Torch Relay as it traveled through Chester County, honored as a Community Hero through a nomination process by the United Way of Chester County and other local chapters. His extensive community involvement included contributions to the United Way, the board of the Exchange Club, Tick-Tock Learning Center, Southern Chester County Medical Center, Kennett Charities, Kennett Chamber of Commerce, Kennett Square Jaycees, Avon Grove Recreation Association, Babe Ruth Baseball League, and the Chester County Community Foundation. Throughout his life, Mercer generously gave his time coaching youth sports and serving on numerous organizations and committees. He also coached in the Avon Grove Little League, was a founding member of the Avon Grove Travel Soccer Club, and served as an assistant basketball coach at Avon Grove High School. His dedication to athletics and mentorship positively impacted many young athletes.

In 2013, Mercer was inducted into the Kennett Old-Timers Baseball Hall of Fame. He was recognized for his time in the West Chester Adult Baseball League, where he achieved significant milestones, including membership in the 300-hit club, leading the league in single base hits in 1975 and 1977, and leading in at-bats in 1977. Additionally, he was a fourteen year member of the Kennett Men’s Senior Baseball League and was a key member of Kennett’s National Championship team in the 1998 Fall Classic held in Clearwater, Florida.

Mercer cherished time with his family and his lifelong love of Philadelphia sports. He dearly loved his grandchildren. When not coaching or volunteering, he found joy in sharing moments with his loved ones.

Mercer is survived by his son, Matthew Jones, and his wife, Kristen, of Coatesville, PA; his daughter, Danielle Jones; grandsons Isaac Jones, Xavier Laboy, Zaire Laboy, and Liam Murray; granddaughter Aislynn Jones; sister-in-law Linda Jones; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, godchildren, relatives, and friends. He was predeceased by his father, Earl T. “Pete” Jones, Sr.; mother, Ida Green Jones; and brother, Earl T. “Rusty” Jones, Jr.

Family and friends are invited to visit with Mercer’s family on Saturday, February 15, 2025, from 8:00AM to 11:00AM at Christ Church at the Grove, 1772 New London Rd, Landenberg, PA 19350. A service to celebrate his life will follow at 11:00AM.

Interment will be private at a later date.

Should friends desire, contributions in Mercer’s memory may be made to The Mercer Jones - RBI Legacy Scholarship. This scholarship honors Mercer Jones’ legacy by empowering student-athletes to achieve success in both sports and academics, while also fostering future leaders in the financial industry. The goal is to help these students transition from the playing field to the professional world, whether in finance, banking, or business leadership. To donate, please use the following link: https://giveahand.com/fundraiser/mercer-jones-rbi-fund. Questions regarding the scholarship may be directed to [email protected]. 

Online condolences may be shared by visiting https://www.kuzoandfoulkfh.com.

Arrangements by Kuzo Funeral Home of Kennett Square, PA.