Leland Ray Jones of La Plata, Maryland, a Mechanical Engineer, age 79, departed this life on October
4, 2021. At an early age, following the death and illness of his parents, William and Bettie Lee Jones,
Ray and two of his brothers came to live with Carroll and Goldie Middleton of Mt. Victoria, Maryland.
He was a devoted son to them until their passing. The Middleton home was one of sound Christian
values where Ray was immersed in the spiritual and physical growth and development of Shiloh Church.

Ray attended the newly built Wayside Elementary School, now Dr. Higdon School, and was later
graduated from Bel Alton High School. He became employed with the Naval Ordinance Station in
Indian Head, Maryland, and later Harry Diamond Laboratories in Washington, D.C., a Research and
Development facility. He attended Howard University and received a Bachelor of Science Degree in
Mechanical Engineering in 1971. He became a lifetime member of the Tau Beta Pi Honor Society, the
oldest engineering honor society in the United States, representing the entire engineering profession.

From 1973 to his retirement in 2002, as a Mechanical Engineer/Program Engineer, Ray had extensive
Mechanical Design Engineering experience with mail processing equipment, including 10 years
in program management. His work involved every aspect of program management and equipment
development from concept through field unit evaluation, all across the country.

In April of 1981, Ray received an Honor Award from the United States Postal Service for Meritorious
Service for conducting the installation and test of the Optical Character Reader (OCR) for the expanded
Zip Code program at the Minneapolis, Minnesota post office.

On July 13,1987, he received a Certificate of Appreciation and an official commendation in recognition
of his contributions to the United States Postal Service because of the much needed stability he
furnished during the difficult pretest phase of the multiline read OCR field test in Denver, Colorado.
He was commended for serving as the alternate test director, and attending to specific test needs in
a self-motivated and knowledgeable manner, and for having a careful and personable style that was
in no small measure responsible for assuring that the formal test began effectively and on schedule.
"Working whatever hours were required to succeed, Mr. Jones tirelessly labored in each area of the
test to assure its proficiency. Unquestionably, his efforts significantly enhanced the quality of the test."

In response to the tragic incidents of anthrax contamination of the mail in 200l, on his own initiative,
Ray organized and managed a group of engineers to design and build an Advanced Facer Canceller
Simulator (AFCS) that could be used to test anthrax detection equipment. The Simulator was used to
test over 20 complex detection systems leading to the development of the USPS Biological Detection
System that was deployed in Postal Facilities across the country. For his work, Ray received a Vice
President's Award and Certificate of Appreciation as an official commendation and recognition of his
contributions to the United States Postal Service.

Ray provided program management and technical direction for the development of the first Flat Mail
Facer Canceller using Ink-Jet Cancellation. He wrote the schedule of work, secured funding, and
provided the contractor with detailed design specifications for the machine.

On August 2, 2002, Ray received a Service Award from the Postmaster General of the United States
Postal Service in grateful appreciation for his dedicated service during an honorable career of 41
years service to the Government of the United States, including more than 29 years with the U.S.
Postal Service. He was commended for his contributions throughout the years toward improved postal
operations.

Shortly after his retirement from the Postal Service, he returned to the Postal Service as a Consultant
Mechanical Engineer/Materials Specialist where he remained for a number of years. He provided
engineering program management and technical direction for the Biological Detection System, and
other major programs. He provided program management and technical direction of the Flat Mail
Technology Division programs and related activities. Flat Mail included many phases of engineering.
He served as the principal contact and control for assigned programs associated with the design,
development, evaluation and engineering studies of the letter mail/flat mail automation equipment
system and concepts. On November 1, 2002, Ray and the Vice President of Engineering, submitted
a publication entitled "Securing and Handling of Mail" to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office,
regarding the placement of a biohazard bag in the interior space of a public mailbox that would lock
in contaminants that could then be safely transmitted by the mail carrier for further decontamination
or processing. A patent was granted on June 26, 2007, naming the Vice President and Ray as the
inventors, and the U.S. Postal Service as the patent assignee.

Ray was a devoted husband, parent, and family man. His wife, Joan, and he spent a lot of time
discussing any and everything, causing an Aunt to remark she never saw a couple talk so much
together. On weekends, they often went out together, including visiting downtown DC monuments,
and the WAC Hughes Elks Lodge. They went to the Elks Lodge so often that one day, on ascending
the stairs, someone asked Ray "Where's Joan?", and he replied, "She's right behind me." They often
traveled together across the country, and overseas.

Ray spent a lot of time with his children and grandchildren including watching cartoons with them,
helping with their schoolwork, fixing things for them, and allowing them to accompany him as he
went about his outside chores. His daughters often bragged that their Daddy could fix anything. He set
a good example for them. For example, he maintained his yard on the weekends by cutting the grass,
trimming the hedges, raking and bagging the grass, sweeping the sidewalk and bagging the sidewalk
grass. One of his daughters follows his yard maintenance example to this day. He took his family on
many leisure trips and long vacations. He was the parent who had the nerve to accompany his kids on
wild roller coaster rides, and splashing water rides. Often when he was working in his office at home,
he allowed his daughters to come in and sit on the sofa while he was working at his desk. He never
told them they had to leave. He was always busy at home, repairing things, splitting wood, grading
his road with his Big H tractor and dozier, and tending to his business activities. He maintained close
contact with his nieces and nephews who were a vital part of his life. He engaged in many activities
with them, including often going to the movies with one of his nephews. Ray enjoyed Blues music,
Starbucks coffee, TV comedies, and Westerns.

Ray was a dedicated member of the WAC Hughes Elks Lodge #1053 in Newburg, Maryland. In
November 2018, he received a Length of Service Award for 52 Years of Service in appreciation of his
many years of dedication and service to the Lodge. He supported its various functions and activities
and maintained close friendships with many of the members over the years. He was very proud of how
the younger Lodge members carried on the organization building work of their forebearers.

Ray leaves to mourn his loss his devoted wife, Joan Jones, their daughters, Sharon White and Deborah
Proctor (Chris); grandchildren: Courtney Proctor, Jonee White, Dana Hairston and Simone Hairston;
great grandchildren: Ryanne Ford, Javon White, and Samora Simms; sister, Elaine Brewer (Kenneth),
two nieces: Diane Daniels (Ernest) and Vercal Jones; three nephews: Vincent Jones (Donna), Ronald
Lipford (Sharon) and Donald Lipford, three brothers in-law: James Farmer (Barbara), Clayton Smith
Sr.(Deborah), and Kerry Mohammed El, and many other relatives and friends.

A Family and Friends Gathering will be held from 10am until the time of the Memorial Service at 11am, on Saturday, October 23, 2021, in the Chapel of Thornton Funeral Home, P.A., 3439 Livingston Road, Indian Head, Maryland 20640.

Officiating will be Ray's Pastor, Jacques Banks, of Shiloh Community United Methodist Church in Newburg, Maryland.

On Saturday, October 23rd at 11:00 a.m., please click on the link below to live stream the Memorial Service.

Please make sure when viewing the service that the volume located in the right lower corner (where it says "live") on the viewing screen is turned up (the bars should be blue).

Thank you.

https://www.thorntonfuneralhomepa.com/live-stream