James Richard Jones, III, 74, of Indianapolis, Indiana, passed away August 27, 2023. He was born June 28, 1949 in Augusta, Georgia to James Richard and Allie McGreg (Singletary) Jones, Jr.
Rick grew up in Orlando, Florida after a family move in 1954. He joined the Boy Scouts of America and Order of the Demolay. Rick graduated from Boone High School. He received his Bachelor’s Degrees in Anthropology and English from the University of New Mexico, followed by a Ph.D. in Anthropology, with a specialization in archaeology, from Indiana University.
Rick picked up his first guitar as a young teen and played throughout his life. He played with several Orlando-area garage bands, including the Kno Where Men and the Cambridge Squires. Before graduating high school, his band entered Orlando’s Battle of the Bands and took home 2nd place. In recent years, he played lead guitar with Graal, Late Shift Disorder, and Bandage in Indianapolis, IN.
Rick was Indiana’s second State Archaeologist. He retired from the DNR’s Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology (DHPA) at the end of August 2014. He had been with the DHPA, Indiana’s State Historic Preservation Office since 1987 and was appointed State Archaeologist in 1991, making him the longest serving State Archaeologist to date. He was affectionately known as Indiana Jones amongst friends, colleagues, and, occasionally, interested journalists.
Rick is survived by his loving wife, Christina Petlichkoff Jones; sisters, Allie Myers (John), and Sue Jones (Roger Hunt); nephews, David Roe (Tara), Zachary Hunt, Elliot Hunt, Jasper Hunt, Brennan Jones (Corissa), and Taylor Jones (Kelsey), He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, William McGreg “Greg” Jones.
Graveside services will be held at Glen Haven Memorial Park in Winter Park on Friday, September 15, at 1:00 p.m.