Rebecca Davis Kanan Jones

With profound sadness, we announce the passing of Rebecca Davis Kanan Jones. Rebecca drew her last breath in the afternoon of July 9, 2026 at the Ferncliff Nursing Home in Rhinebeck, NY, peacefully, with her son Gregory Kanan, and her husband, Mark Jones, at her bedside.

Born August 2, 1955, as the second child of Joel N. Davis and Ruth Ann Davis (née Coleman) of Guilford, CT, Rebecca entered the world mere days before a category 4 hurricane, Connie, devastated the East Coast. Due to serious health concerns, maternal grandfather, James E. Coleman, with mother Ruth Ann, baby Rebecca, and older brother Keith, drove through torrential rains, across Connie’s path, from Connecticut to Pittsburg, PA. The first few months of Rebecca’s life were in the care of her grandparents, James and Ruth Coleman, in the Mount Lebanon section of Pittsburgh.

With the holidays approaching, Rebecca, along with her mother and brother, returned to Guilford, and their new, yet to be finished, home.

While in Guilford, at the age of 3, Rebecca attended nursery school at the Guilford Congregational Church.

1959 saw the family transition to Durham, CT. Rebecca had the good fortune of attending the nursery school program of well-known Durham educator, Julia Cox Bryant. She attended public school in Durham, graduating from Coginchaug Regional High School, Class of 1973. In her high school years, she had a passion for modern dance. Her performances had been described as “poetry in movement.”

Rebecca received a degree in secretarial studies from Bryant College in Rhode Island. It was at Bryant that she met Rief Kanan, whom she married in 1976. After first settling in Stamford, CT, they would move to Tampa, FL, where, in April of 1984, Rebecca would give birth to her only child, Gregory Rief Kanan. A few months later, the new family would move again to Goshen, NY. Following divorce, in 1991, Rebecca and her son moved to New Windsor, NY, where she built her new life.

Beginning in 1989 as part-time legal secretary for Dupree & Orloff in Goshen, Rebecca’s legal career would span 30 years. 22 of those years were spent at McCabe & Mack LLP, Poughkeepsie, NY. From 1992-2014, she was Membership Secretary for the Hudson Valley Bankruptcy Bar Association.

While raising a child and working full time, she also furthered her education. Rebecca graduated Summa cum laude with a bachelor’s in management from SUNY New Paltz in 2003 and earned her Paralegal Certificate in 2005 from Marist College.

Rebecca met Mark Jones in 1998. He cheerfully supported her interests and activities, and they were married May 18, 2002. The couple became involved in the Lions Club, where Rebecca served as secretary, then vice-president, then president of the New Windsor Lions. She was also the newsletter editor for New York State District 20-O Lions Clubs. The Lions would see the couple traveling all over NY State, and as far as Fukuoka, Japan, while Mark served as District Governor.

Rebecca and Mark would plan and prepare themed dinners for her parents and guests.

Rebecca was active in the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Rock Tavern, where she served as board member and treasurer. She was involved in local politics and spent many evenings and weekends canvassing for local candidates. She herself was on the ballot for New Windsor Receiver of Taxes in 2005.

In childhood, Rebecca was an imaginative child who grew into adulthood as caring and thoughtful of others. Unfortunately, the thief of memory and reason entered her life and required care beyond the home. She has been in that care at the Archcare at Ferncliff Nursing Home in Rhinebeck, NY for the past 2 years.

The family Rebecca leaves includes her husband, Mark Jones of New Windsor, NY; her son, Gregory Rief Kanan (Katherine), her grandson, Hugo Norton Rief Kanan, all of Kingston, NY; her brother, Keith F. Davis (Trish) of Sheridan, WY; and her mother, Ruth Ann Davis of Southington, CT.

On Monday, August 3, 2026 there will be a Celebration of Life at 5 p.m. at the Plantsville Funeral Home, 975 S. Main St., Plantsville, CT with an hour of visitation prior from 4 - 5 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be held privately on August 3rd at the Nut Plains Cemetery, Guilford, CT. For online condolences and directions, please visit www.plantsvillefuneralhome.com.