Founding Delaware Valley Family Health Center Physician Retires
Caption: Linda Stanton of Phillipsburg has been a patient of Dr. Jones’ for 35 years. She has five children and four grandchildren who are also Dr. Jones’ patients. “I am really going to miss Dr. Jones. He is one of those rare doctors that will stop and listen to me. I have been through some rough times and Dr. Jones has always been there for me.” Pictured is Linda Stanton and Howard Jones, M.D. during a recent appointment at Delaware Valley Family Health Center.
Published June 2, 2009
After 35 years of practicing medicine in Hunterdon County and never taking a sick day, Howard D. Jones, M.D., founding physician of Delaware Valley Family Health Center in Milford, will retire in June.
Delaware Valley Family Health Center opened its doors as a satellite department of Hunterdon Medical Center in 1974. Dr. Jones, Dr. John Zapp, one nurse, one receptionist and one bookkeeper staffed the office when it opened. “Delaware Valley Family Health Center was developed to better serve patients in the western part of the county and because Hunterdon Medical Center wanted a training facility for the Family Medicine Residency Program,” explained Dr. Jones. Dr. Jones has seen the practice grow over the years. “In 1988 we moved to a larger building which is our current location at 200 Frenchtown Road. Today we see nearly 24,000 patients a year and have eleven family practice physicians, one nurse practioner, nine family practice residents and thirty–seven employees.
Dr. Jones received his medical degree from Hahnemann Medical College in Philadephia. He is a graduate of the Family Medicine Residency Program at Hunterdon Medical Center. After graduating from the residency program, Dr. Jones spent two years in the Navy stationed in the San Juan Capistrano Naval Hospital in California prior to coming back to Hunterdon County and opening Delaware Valley Family Health Center in 1974. In 1999, Dr. Jones was chosen as the Family Doctor of the Year by the New Jersey Academy of Family Physicians. He was also a recipient of the R. Kirk Seaton, M.D. Memorial Award. The award is given to a member of the medical community who has made significant contributions to the Hunterdon Medical Center Family Medicine Residency Program, the Hunterdon Medical Center and the community at large.
Dr. Jones resides in Holland Township. He is looking forward to spending time visiting his new grandson in California, Maxamillian Xavier born on May 17th. His days will also be filled with volunteer projects at his church, gardening, building stone walls and he may even learn to play the cello. “My plan is to still do a 30 mile run/walk on my 70th birthday. I ran 50 miles on my 50th birthday and 40 miles on my 60th birthday. I think on my 100th, I will do my rocking chair,” joked Dr. Jones.
“I will miss my patients and the staff the most, they have always treated me very well,” stated Dr. Jones. June 11th will mark the last day Dr. Jones will see patients at Delaware Valley Family Health Center. On June 7th a retirement reception will be held for Dr. Jones from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Milford Fire Department on Water St. in Milford. Patients are invited to stop by and say good bye.