Jack Radford Jones, DOB 1/31/29, was born in Tampa, Florida to Berry Smith and Mary Whitehead Jones. After graduating from Hillsborough High School, he attended Florida State University and graduated from the University of Florida School of Architecture in 1954 with High Honors.
After serving 3 years in the United States Navy, he moved to Leesburg, Florida In 1957 going to work at, and eventually becoming part owner of, Miller Construction Company until 1961, when he left Miller and opened his Architectural firm In Leesburg, Jack R Jones, Architect Inc.
His architectural practice over the next 50 years included many residential, commercial, governmental, educational and church buildings all over the state of Florida. Among his projects in Lake County are the round Lake County Courthouse, The Lake Sumter Community College Fine Arts Center, the Sprint Telephone Building, First Presbyterian Church, old Sun Bank Building, First Federal Savings Bank (now BB&T), Citizen’s Bank Building (now closed), Center State Bank, Palm Plaza Shopping Center, and the old Leesburg Kindergarten building in Venetian Gardens with its unique hyperbolic paraboloid roof.
He was past president of the Leesburg Rotary Club, Leesburg Chamber of Commerce, and the Mid Florida Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. He has been Chairman of the Leesburg Planning and Zoning Board, Vice President of the Central Florida Episcopal Diocese and Junior and Senior Warden of St. James Episcopal Church of Leesburg.
In 1980, Jack closed his architectural office and for eight years he and his late wife, June Johns Jones, cruised the Caribbean in their 41-foot sailboat, Sansi. For 3 years during this time, they operated a charter boat service out of St. Thomas USVI. In 1988 they returned to Leesburg and reopened the architectural office which continued until his retirement in 2013.
Jack is survived by his wife of 24 years, Patricia Carol Jones; brother, Roger Lewis Jones (Janet); children, Cathye Jones Bouis, Cheryl Jones Evans, Robin Scott Jones (Polly), Adrianne Jones Scott (Larry), step son Perry Petek (Linda); the Bell family; 6 grandchildren, 2 step grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
