Rev. Dr. Virginia T. Jones-Newton

The Rev. Dr. Virginia T. Jones-Newton, 83, of Frederick, Maryland passed peacefully from this earthly life on September 15, 2026, at her Homewood Living Frederick residence.

Virginia Ann Trask, but known affectionately as “Ginny”, was born on July 13, 1943, in Rapid City, South Dakota, to the late Kenneth (Kenny) Trask and the late Gertrude (Trudy) Trask of Hill City, South Dakota. Ginny and her family moved to the community of Custer, South Dakota in 1955 where her family continues to reside to this day.

While living in the Custer community, Ginny attended Custer Community Church. Her summers were spent working at various Custer area tourist attractions. Described as, “being rather social”, Ginny was drawn to community and school related activities including cheerleading, stage performances, Job’s Daughters, and was even voted homecoming queen by her classmates. She graduated from Custer High School in 1961. She often reflected fondly of her childhood days of growing up in the Black Hills. She would carry her love for Custer and the Black Hills area throughout her entire life.

Ginny attended Yankton College in Yankton, SD and graduated in 1965 with a bachelor’s degree in history. Her interests in history and political affairs led her career journey eastward to Washington, D.C. in 1966.

While in Washington, D.C., she worked various jobs including the Smithsonian Institution (Castle building) and Liberty Mutual Insurance where she met her first husband, the late Howard P. Miller, Jr. (of Strasburg, VA). In 1968, the couple would welcome, son, Troy H. Miller (of Harpers Ferry, WV).

In 1978, Ginny enrolled at Wesley Theological Seminary (Washington, D.C.) earning her Master of Divinity in 1980. Not long after, she married her second husband, the late Rev. Robert “Bob” E. Jones (of Amherst, MA). They would live and work in the greater Boston and Massachusetts area until Bob’s passing in 1989. Ginny’s love for all things ‘New England’ stuck and she would continue her nearly three-decade career in ministry as a UMC church pastor and later Hospice chaplain in the Massachusetts - New Hampshire area. Along that journey she would earn her Doctor of Ministry (2001) and marry her third husband (1996), the late Rev. J. Chandler (Chan) Newton (of Salem, MA). They would eventually build and settle in the ‘Lakes Region’ of Sandwich, NH. Ginny would continue to live in Sandwich after the passing of Chan (2011) until her final move to the Frederick, MD (2022) to be closer to her son Troy and his family.

She is proceeded in death by her parents Kenny and Trudy Trask, sister Rev. Dr. Belva Duncan, nephew Mark Duncan, husband Howard P. Miller, Jr., husband Rev. Robert “Bob” E. Jones, and husband Rev. J. Chandler (Chan) Newton.

She is survived by son Troy Miller (wife Julie), their children Kenny Miller (wife Gabby), Jenna (Miller) French (husband Noah), brother Allen Trask (wife Gail), nephew Nathan Trask and niece Michelle Duncan.

Additionally, Ginny is survived by Heather (Newton) Kyemba (husband Henry), their children Sophia and Torin. As well as Miriam (Jones) Coe (husband Jon), Edmund Jones (wife Maryam (Khodadoust)) and their daughter Roxana.

Final resting place will be at Rural Cemetery located in Center Sandwich, New Hampshire.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to: Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation 12151 Avenue of the Chiefs Crazy Horse, SD 57730-8900