Welton Jones | Emeritus member and past ATCA chair, dies at 86

Welton Jones | Emeritus member and past ATCA chair, dies at 86

Welton Jones, long time ATCA member, has died at 86.

Jones wrote about arts and entertainment for The San Diego Union and, later, the Union-Tribune from 1966 to 2001. He was an emeritus member of the ATCA after serving nine years on its board of directors, four as chairman, represented the United States at various international meetings of theater critics, and served as a mentor with “Western conniving and smarts” according to a member who knew him well.

Prior to working and living in San Diego, Welton worked for the New York Herald-Tribune, the Houston Post, the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, and the Shreveport Times. He was recruited by Mark Burgess in 2001 for SANDIEGO.COM and helped Burgess assemble the staff that now includes his colleagues at SANDIEGOSTORY.COM.

In addition to reviewing, Welton wrote, produced and directed plays and worked for historic preservation with the Committee of 100 in Balboa Park and the Save Our Heritage Organisation (SOHO).

He was a captain in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserves, a member of the Texas A&M University Former Journalism Student Association Hall of Honor, and he served on the jury that recommended Neil Simon for his only Pulitzer Prize.