Ruth M. Jones of Dingmans Ferry, Pa., died peacefully at home on February 13, 2025, after a brief decline. She was 92 years old and lived her entire life along her beloved Delaware River. Ruth proudly claimed the title “Queen of the Delaware” and said the river was her playmate, her playground, and her best friend.
Born on December 8, 1932, in Portland, Pa., she was the only child of Ernest and Edna Olschewsky. Ruth grew up at Camp Karamac, just upstream from the Delaware Water Gap, where her parents were caretakers of the Karamac summer resort. She roamed around the river, swimming, fishing, and exploring the hills and streams of the area. Ruth was a child of nature and became a force of nature.
Her parents, Ernie and Edna, worked hard and were able to purchase a mile of riverfront property on the NJ side of the Delaware Water Gap. There they built and operated Kittatinny Beach, a successful family resort with swimming, dining, cottages for rent, and picnic groves. They had a few boats and canoes for rent, and Ernie began transporting people and boats upstream with his station wagon so they could float downstream; thus, the river trip business was born in 1941. Frank Jones came from Blairstown one day to rent a boat and he and Ruth were married in 1950. They raised their children, Dave and Julie, in the beautiful Water Gap. Ruth was known for leading hikes on the nearby Appalachian Trail along Dunfield Creek to the top of Mt. Tammany. She would get her children out of bed early to hike to the creek, catch their trout limit, and then send them off to school.
Life in this pastoral place was shattered in 1969 when the federal government took the land by eminent domain for the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Not only was their home taken, but their livelihood was as well. Part of the Park Service’s plan was to build a dam on the Delaware River at Tocks Island. The Jones family was deeply involved in fighting the dam that would have flooded almost 40 miles of river. Frank and Ruth partnered with the Sierra Club, testified in Congress, and led protest hikes to oppose the dam. Thankfully, the dam was never built, but Ruth and Frank still had to move outside of the park boundaries, and they relocated to Dingmans Ferry. Despite hardships, they were resilient and hard-working, developing a thriving river trip business along with riverside campgrounds and boat launching areas. Between 1969 and the 1990s, Kittatinny Canoes grew from a few dozen canoes to nearly 2,000 river craft--canoes, kayaks, rafts, and tubes. They were the largest livery east of the Mississippi and seasonally employed hundreds of people. Frank died in 1986, and Ruth and Dave continued to run the business.
Ruth would paddle the river on her days off. Her goal was to hit 400 miles every year. She knew the river intimately and became troubled by the accumulating trash. She picked up what she could but needed help. Kittatinny Canoes organized the first annual river clean up in 1990. Ruth kept meticulous records of debris collected by hundreds of volunteers who would gather for several days each summer. So far, they have retrieved over 9,000 old tires and 450 tons of trash. Today the river is a more beautiful place because of these caring people.
Featured on many news and TV outlets for her efforts, Ruth said, “The river is a resource that we use for our livelihood, and you can’t keep taking from a resource without giving something back, and this is our way of giving back. But we also do it because we love the river. It’s been our life”. When Kittatinny was sold in 2020, the new owners agreed to continue the cleanup and named it “The Ruth Jones Annual Delaware River Cleanup.” Ruth was twice honored with first place Take Pride in America awards at The White House. She paddled with NJ Governor Christie Whitman and PA Governor Tom Ridge and his family. Her legacy as “Queen of the Delaware” is secure.
During the off season, Ruth enjoyed traveling and went on safaris, polar bear expeditions, and snowmobile trips in Yellowstone. Gardening was a lifetime hobby, and she collected hundreds of dahlias over the years. The family and friends helped to plant them when she no longer could. She enjoyed giving the tubers away, but they still seemed to multiply.
Ruth is survived by her son David Jones and partner Jacque Keough of Dingmans Ferry, Pa., and daughter Julie Jones, MD, and husband Richard Zook of York, Pa. Grandchildren include Kathryn Zook, wife of Rory Murray of Silver Spring, Md., and great-grandsons Benjamin and Rowan Murray. Grandson Alex Zook and wife Alyssa Autieri reside in Paoli, Pa. The family has been given the gift of her example of hard work, resilience, and the love of nature.
Ruth’s ashes will be deposited among her favorite natural places. A private ceremony will be held during the summer along the shores of her beloved Delaware River. Friends may participate in Kittatinny’s Ruth Jones Annual River Clean Up to honor her.