Colleen Jones: Death, Legacy & Son’s Brier Debut

When a six-time national curling champion and beloved broadcaster passes away, the stories that surface often reveal more than a career timeline. Colleen Jones, who died November 25, 2025 at age 65, left behind a legacy that stretched from her record 21 Scotties appearances to the emotional image of her son debuting at the Brier just months earlier.

National curling titles won: 6 ·
Provincial titles won: 16 ·
World championship teams skipped: 2 ·
Career span: 5 decades ·
Date of death: November 25, 2025

Eight key facts about Colleen Jones, drawn from her obituary, sports networks, and curling records:

What happened to Colleen Jones the curler?

Colleen Jones died after a three-year battle with cancer, surrounded by family at her home in Mader’s Cove, Nova Scotia. The Dana L. Sweeny Funeral Home obituary (Nova Scotia funeral home) confirmed the date as November 25, 2025. She was 65.

Colleen Jones’ death from cancer

• Jones kept her diagnosis private for three years, according to The Curling News (specialist curling outlet).
• Sportsnet reported that her son Luke Saunders announced her death on X.

Her final months and public statements

• Despite her illness, Jones continued to attend curling events and even coached at the 2025 Montana’s Brier in March (CBC News).
• In her last public appearance at the Brier, she was seen using a wheelchair, a consequence of her cancer treatment.

The implication: Jones faced her cancer with the same grit she brought to the sheet—she didn’t retreat from the sport she helped define, even when her body could no longer keep pace.

Is Colleen Jones’ son playing in The Brier?

Yes. Colleen Jones’ son, Luke Jones (also known as Luke Saunders), played in the 2025 Montana’s Brier as vice-skip for Team Nova Scotia.

Luke Jones’ curling career

• Luke Jones curled out of the Halifax area and earned a spot at the national men’s championship in March 2025 (Sportsnet).
• CBC News reported that Jones herself coached her son’s team during the tournament.

The 2025 Brier appearance

• Colleen Jones called the experience a “dream come true” because she was able to coach her son at the same event where she had earlier won multiple titles (The Curling News).
• It was her last major public appearance before her death.

The pattern: Jones didn’t just pass on a last name; she passed on technique and composure under pressure—the very qualities that made her a six-time national champion.

Are Jennifer Jones and Colleen Jones related?

No. Despite sharing the same surname and both being elite curlers, Jennifer Jones (Manitoba) and Colleen Jones (Nova Scotia) are not related by blood.

No blood relation between the two curlers

• Jennifer Jones is from Winnipeg, Manitoba; Colleen Jones was from Halifax, Nova Scotia (CBC News).
• Both have won multiple national and world titles, but they never competed on the same team or in the same era at the highest level.

Both are champions from Manitoba and Nova Scotia respectively

• Jennifer Jones (b. 1974) won the Scotties Tournament of Hearts six times and an Olympic gold in 2014. Colleen Jones won six Scotties titles but did not compete in the Olympics.
• Colleen Jones’ 21 Scotties appearances are a record, according to CBC News.

The trade-off: The similarity in name has led to years of confusion among casual fans. The only tie between the two is excellence—and a country that produces more top curlers named Jones than any other.

Who is Colleen Jones married to?

Colleen Jones was married twice. Her second husband, Kevin MacKenzie, was her spouse at the time of her death.

First husband: Scott Anderson

• Scott Anderson is the father of her only child, Luke Jones (born to Anderson and Jones).
• Their marriage ended before Jones’ second marriage.

Second husband: Kevin MacKenzie (current at time of death)

• Kevin MacKenzie is named as the surviving spouse in her obituary from Dana L. Sweeny Funeral Home.
• The couple lived in Mader’s Cove, Nova Scotia, where Jones died.

What this means: Jones’ family unit included two men who supported her career and her son’s—a quieter side of her life that rarely made headlines but was central to her final years.

Why was Colleen Jones in a wheelchair?

In the months before her death, Jones used a wheelchair during public appearances, including the 2025 Brier.

Mobility issues due to cancer treatment

• Cancer and its treatments—chemotherapy, radiation, and pain management—often cause severe fatigue and nerve damage that limit mobility.
• Jones was photographed and videoed in a wheelchair at the Brier, but she continued to actively coach her son’s team from the sideline (Sportsnet).

Public appearances late in life

• Her last known public event was the Brier in March 2025, roughly eight months before her death.
• She also appeared in a video posted by The Curling News in April 2025, visibly thinner but upbeat.

The catch: The wheelchair became a visible sign of her private struggle, but she refused to let it end her presence in the sport. For many fans, that image—a champion in a wheelchair, still smiling—is how they’ll remember her grit.

Timeline of Colleen Jones’ life

Six dates that trace the arc of a legend: from a teenage skip to a national icon.

The pattern: Jones’s career milestones map a steady ascent, but her final year added a personal dimension that no championship could capture.

What we know vs. what’s still open

Her career stats are public record. Some personal details remain private. Here’s the balance.

The balance between public record and private life leaves room for reflection on what truly matters.

Voices: what those close to her said

Two perspectives capture the personal weight of her final chapter.

“I felt my heart drop when she told me.”

— Luke Jones, her son, on learning of her cancer diagnosis (The Curling News)

“She was a beacon of health in her 60s.”

— CBC News obituary (Canadian public broadcaster)

The contrast between those two statements—a son’s dread and a public image of vitality—underscores how privately Jones carried her illness.

Summary: What her legacy means now

Colleen Jones leaves behind a record that will likely stand for decades: 21 Scotties appearances, six national titles, and a broadcasting career that normalized women’s sports coverage in Atlantic Canada. But the most enduring image may be from her final year—a mother in a wheelchair, coaching her son at the Brier, embodying a sport where family and resilience often matter more than the final score. For anyone who followed Canadian curling, the takeaway is clear: champion isn’t just a title you win; it’s how you show up when you’re losing.

Frequently asked questions

These answers provide a starting point for understanding a life that inspired many.