Dr. Richard Jones of Lady Lake, Florida, passed away on February 20, 2026, at UF Hospital Leesburg.
Born on September 12, 1945, in Charleston, WV, Rick dedicated his life to education. Starting out as a teacher and coach, he went on to obtain a Ph.D. in Education and retired from Kanawha County as the principal of Stonewall Jackson Junior High School. After relocating to The Villages, Florida, Rick wasn’t quite ready for full retirement and returned to work in Lake County, FL, serving in an administrative role until his final retirement in 2007.
He enjoyed coaching, refereeing, officiating track and field events, golfing, and was a passionate fan of West Virginia University athletics. He will be remembered for his generous spirit, quick wit, and steadfast devotion to his family.
Rick is survived by his wife, Peggy; his children, Dr. Richard S. Jones (Monica Jones) and Rochelle Sizemore (Pat Sizemore); his grandchildren, Blake, Faith, Hope, and Ty; and his 5 sisters, Margie, Mary, Monie, Shirley, and Sue. He was preceded in death by his parents, Cora and Simon Jones, his siblings: Frankie, Ralph, Jeanetta, and Marvin.
A celebration of his life will be held on Saturday, June 13, 2026, at Buffalo Wild Wings (Southridge). A party room has been reserved from 12 – 2 p.m., for his family, friends, former coworkers and students. Please stop by to share a story about Rick, along with enjoying some food and a drink.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the Salvation Army would be appreciated as our dad was an avid supporter of this organization by volunteering for bell ringing duty during the Christmas holidays for many years.