David Robert Jones

Obituary

Dr. David Robert Jones, 79, from Callala Beach, Australia passed away peacefully on Thursday 26th February with his wife and daughter by his side.


Dr. David Robert Jones was born to Mary and Frederick Jones in Dudley, England and was the only child. His father, known by his middle name ‘Lewis’ was mentioned on the TV series ‘Dispatches’ for his bravery in the medical corp. during the evacuation of Dunkirk. Mary and his aunt ran a hardware store before bringing up David after the war. Mary went on to become a registrar of local births, marriages and deaths.

In 1965, David attended Hull University to study Science and graduated in Botany in 1968. He stayed in Downs Hall and met his close friends Tim, Gwyn, Dave and Jim. David went on to obtain a MSc degree in plant pathology from the University of Exeter in 1970 and a PHD from Keele University in 1973.

Shortly after his PHD, David moved to Canada where he became a post-doctorate research fellow at Agriculture Canada's research laboratory in London, Ontario. This is where David met his wife, Esther Jones (nee Zmeko) a lab technician at the university and the two wed in the parish church, Dudley England in 1975.

David and Esther left for their honeymoon in Fiji and Bora Bora en route to Sydney Australia. David was awarded a post-doctorate research fellowship to work alongside a professor at the University of Sydney. Esther and David lived in a small granny flat at the back of a property in Carlingford. 

In 1977, David and Esther made the move north to Brisbane where David worked as quarantine plant pathologist with the Queensland Department of Primary Industries (QDPI) in Indooroopilly. They settled in the small town of Moggill and built their own home on 3 acres of bushland. Not long after, in 1981, they had their first daughter Mary and in 1984 their second daughter Catherine.

It is during his time here that David worked as part of a programme to prevent the introduction of exotic pathogens into Australia. He was the first pathologist to travel to the Torres Straight region and discovered black leaf streak and freckly diseases on local banana plants. David later formulated guidelines for the safe introduction of Musa species into Australia. He subsequently worked on banana leaf diseases and post harvest problems. David would frequently travel outside of Australia on work trips to study banana plantations, such as visits to Papua New Guinea and Southeast Asia.

In 1992, David and the family moved to the south of France where David started work as a crop protection research coordinator at 'The International Network for the Improvement of Banana and Plantain' (INIBAP) in Montpellier. The family lived in a small, charming village atop a hill called 'Montferrier-sur-Lez'.  
During his time at INIBAP, David undertook banana disease surveys in Thailand and Malaysia. His collections of specimens led to the identification of a banana virus in India and Sri Lanka and the recognition of a new banana leaf spot disease in India.

Four years later the family left France and moved to Droitwich Spa in England. David's expertise soon sent him to the island of St Vincent in the Caribbean where he took part in a European Union (EU)-funded project to improve the banana industry of the Windward Islands. It is here where David became locally known as the 'banana doctor' as a result of broadcasts on the local radio and television.

When David returned to the UK, he became editor for the CAB International publication entitled 'Diseases of Banana, Abaca and Enset, which was published in 1999. The following year, David joined the Central Science Laboratory of the Department of the Environment (now known as FERA) at Sand Hutton on the outskirts of York. David worked on pest risk analysis, researching non-native diseases and assessed what risk they might pose to food production if they were to enter the UK. David retired in 2008 after working as a consultant for the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in Parma, Italy. 

After the loss of his parents, David, Esther and daughter Mary flew to Sydney, Australia where they were re-united with their second daughter Catherine in 2012. They took up temporary residence in Sydney before buying a home 2.5hrs south in Callala beach, Jervis Bay.

David spent his later years researching his family history and writing books on the Crimean War. In 2017, David published a book 'The Crimean War Then & Now' which sets present date photographs of battle sites against original paintings and photographs. David made repeated visits to the Crimea, where with the help of local guides was able to identify and photograph every important location featured in the works of the nineteenth century artists. 

David spent his days in retirement reading articles posted by members of the Crimea War correspondents, sleeping, watching the news and enjoying Sunday roasts. David could be found walking the white sands of Callala beach every day with Esther and his beloved dog Benji. 
David has been very unfortunate having got cancer three times. He had fought and won against two other cancers before his recent diagnosis of stage 4 bowel cancer. The discovery came during the surgery to remove a second bowel blockage. Unfortunately, David never fully recovered from the surgery with infection taking hold. He passed quickly and peacefully at around 1:15am on Thursday 26th February in Shoalhaven Memorial Hospital, Nowra.

Gallery

Videos

Memory wall

March 24, 2026

David certainly had a remarkable life, much aided by Esther. Among his many achievements, more recently his book on the Crimean War comes to mind. My condolences to Esther, family, and many friends at this sad time.

Paul Casey

March 16, 2026

I was an undergraduate friend of David's for three years at Hull in Downs Hall. We spent much time together, learning about life in general away from home for the first time, and fooling around a lot. We were both scientists who both were brain drainers. David visited me in New York also at one point, but the important thing is that we kept in touch for over 60 years. I will miss him enormously. The photo is a screenshot from a movie I took of him being silly in Downs Hall in 1965. His sense of humour was very special.

Gwyn Philip Williams

March 14, 2026

Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to attend the funeral even from so far away.
I found a photo from 2011 in Droitwich Spa featuring David, Esther, and Esther’s cousin Anna Mosna, who was also my late wife (daughter of Esther’s uncle Samuel Mosna).
I have very fond and warm memories of that visit to David and Esther in Droitwich Spa as well as of many xmas letter from Callala Beach.
Gerhard Otto
Herzogenrath, Germany

Gerhard Otto

March 13, 2026

David was such a friendly person. We met so often during INIBAP times, and later when he was writing the reference book on banana pests and diseases. A real gentleman. We had many years of banana research in common but our last talk was on history and the charge of the light brigade. I was amazed about his knowledge in history. Thanks to David I could listen to a trumpet which was more than 150 years old. Since then, when I listen to an orchestral music, and I see trumpets, David is on my mind. I will not forget him. Please accept my sincere condolences.

Swennen Rony

March 12, 2026

I knew David from his and Esters walks on the beach with Benji, it was always a cheerful and fun conversation.
So honoured to have known him, a truly remarkable man!
Suzanne

Suzanne Duemmer

March 10, 2026

The course of our lives brings us encounters, some of which are truly exceptional. This was the case for me in 2013 at the ACORBAT congress in Fortaleza, where I had the opportunity to meet David. I was immediately struck by his whole world knowledge of banana diseases, his ability to share that knowledge in a clear and educational way, and his openness toward others. Afterwards, David always responded to my requests for advices with great clarity and sincerity. I send all my thoughts and my condolences to his family and close friends.

Bruno HOSTACHY

March 10, 2026

Lundi 9 mars 2026
J'adresse mes sincères condoléances à ta famille David en espérant que les soutiens et témoignages des personnes que tu as rencontrées et connues leur apporteront un peu de réconfort.
Tu venais d'arriver à Inibap quand nous nous sommes rencontrés et que nous avons commencé à travailler ensemble sur les règlementations pour des échanges sécurisés des bananiers, plus particulièrement pour les virus et ensuite sur la rédaction des Handbooks. Transmettre était très important pour toi. J'ai tout de suite été sensible à ton calme, ton écoute, tes questionnements pertinents et surtout ton humour décalé. Ta détermination a ne pas parler français alors que tu vivais à Montpellier a été toujours été un sujet de discussion et de rire entre nous. Même à des kilomètres et des années sans contact c'est avec beaucoup d'amitié que nous reprenions nos échanges comme si nous les avions eux la veille. Je suis triste aujourd'hui d'apprendre que tu as du lutter contre la maladie et rassurée de savoir que tu as profité des tiens et de l'environnement où tu te sentais bien en Australie. Mes sincères condoléances à ceux qui t'étais chers..

Marie Line Iskra Caruana

March 7, 2026

Lots of teenage memories. My Mom worked with David’s Mom in the Food Office during the war years. They became best friends which continued for many many years. As both families grew we all enjoyed days out and Christmas’s together . My Mom went to David’s graduation ceremony. We lived in The Midlands and had lots of laughs together. I was always so proud to know a ‘banana Doctor’. My own son and family now live in Adelaide but sadly hadn’t yet visited David. We were so looking forward to a visit from David this summer but it wasn’t meant to be. Our love and thoughts are sent across the miles - until hopefully one day we all meet again.

Jean Clarke

March 5, 2026

Desde ACORBAT Internacional expresamos nuestras más sentidas condolencias a la esposa e hija del Dr. David Robert Jones.
Su partida deja un vacío en la comunidad bananera mundial. El doctor Jones dedicó su vida a la investigación, la generación de conocimiento y la divulgación científica, aportando estudios y publicaciones que hoy son referentes indispensables para el sector. Su rigor académico, su visión y su compromiso con el desarrollo de las musáceas seguirán iluminando el camino de investigadores, productores y organizaciones en todo el mundo.
Acompañamos con respeto y solidaridad este momento de dolor, reconociendo no solo su extraordinario legado profesional, sino también la calidad humana que siempre lo caracterizó.

From ACORBAT IINTERNACIONAL, extend our most heartfelt condolences to the wife and daughter of Dr. David Robert Jones.
His passing leaves a deep and painful emptiness within the global banana community. Dr. Jones devoted his life to understanding, nurturing, and advancing the world of musaceae, sharing knowledge with generosity and a profound sense of purpose. His studies, his clarity of thought, and his tireless commitment shaped the foundations on which so many of us continue to build.
Today, we honor not only his extraordinary scientific legacy, but also the warmth, humility, and human kindness that touched everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.
We hold his family close in our thoughts, accompanying them with respect, affection, and solidarity in this moment of profound sorrow.

ACORBAT INTERNACIONAL

March 5, 2026

As secretary at INIBAP, I had the pleasure of being one of David's colleagues in the initial Montpellier team.
David, an internationally recognised plant patholgist, was truly decicated to his research work on "Musa".
My sincere condolences go to his wife Esther and daughters Mary and Catherine.

Susan Faure

March 5, 2026

I have known David Jones during 90's & early 2000's. The first time I met him was in Honduras in a famous International Musa Testing Program (IMTP) for which he was responsible for while working for INIBAP. Few years after I worked myself for INIBAP which became Bioversity International and the Alliance since then. I was very much inspired by the work of David Jones. I admired the way he could synthetize so easily a workshop or a mission. David will always be remembered as the Banana Doctor thanks to the handbook on banana diseases that he edited and that is still being used as a reference by the banana research community. David had a great capacity to gather researchers from around the world to tackle specific issues such quarantine issues regarding the safe movement of Musa germplasm. We are losing a great pilar of the Musa research community. May his soul rest in Peace!
Our thoughts go to David’s family and close friends.

Nicolas Roux

Service