WITH the death of Bill Jones, Oxfordshire has lost a man who served his community as a councillor, police officer and Rotarian, but was also a father, grandfather and friend.

Wantage Town Councillor and former chief police inspector for the Wantage and Faringdon area Mr Jones passed away on March 4 at the age of 73.

Mr Jones lived in the Wantage area for 35 years and served as a police officer for three decades, with his longest posting in his home town.

He was chief inspector in charge of Wantage and Faringdon police stations and served as a district councillor for Vale of the White Horse for four years, moving on to become a Wantage Town Council member shortly after.

He became well-known in the local area, being a keen rugby player and a member of Wantage Rotary Club.

William (Bill) David Jones was born in Lincoln on April 26, 1942 to parents William and Gladys.

He was an only child and frequently moved around the country due to his father serving in the Second World War.

His mother ended up moving to Curbridge, near Witney, so she could be closer to her family, and Mr Jones began attending Witney Grammar School.

After leaving school, Mr Jones went to work at the Bodleian Library in Oxford where he became acquainted with his new colleague Felicity Collins.

The pair were married a couple of years later in 1966 at Kidlington Church.

After marrying, Mr Jones joined Thames Valley Police and he and his wife moved to Henley.

They moved to Slough and then Reading, depending on where Mr Jones was posted as a police officer, before settling in Wantage.

Mr Jones served in the force for 30 years, with his longest post in Wantage, and was also chief inspector in charge of Wantage and Faringdon police stations.

He spent 10 years as a community safety officer at the Vale of White Horse District Council, before sitting on the crime and commissioning panel.

Mr and Mrs Jones lived together in the village of Rowstock near Harwell, just on the edge of the town.

They had daughter Charlotte in 1967 and son Alexander in 1969.

In 2000, Mr Jones was elected as district councillor for Vale of the White Horse, serving the Hendreds Ward for about four years. He also sat on the Vale's planning committee.

His wife died about two years ago, which prompted Mr Jones to move in to the centre of Wantage so he could be closer to his daughter Charlotte and her family.

She serves on Wantage Town Council and was the mayor of Wantage at one time. Her husband, St John Dickson, is currently the mayor of Wantage.

Mr Jones was elected to Wantage Town Council in May 2015, and served less than a year.

Outside of work and family life he was a member of Wantage Rotary Club and Wantage Probus Club.

During his younger days he was also a keen rugby player and studied an Open University degree in history while working for the police.

Mr Jones is survived by his two children and three grandchildren, Bertie, 22, Arabella, 19, and Alfred, eight.

His funeral was held at St Augustine’s Church, East Hendred, on March 17.