Richard James “Dick” Jones, age 81, of River Bluff Rd in Niles, died at his home on July 31, 2009, following a long illness.

Funeral services will be held Monday, Aug. 3, at Hoven Funeral Home in Buchanan, with visitation at 10 a.m. and funeral service at 11 a.m.

Burial will be at Mission Hills Memorial Gardens in Niles.

Richard Jones was born Aug. 15, 1927, in Niles, the only child of Lowell L. Jones and Lillian (Olsen) Jones.

In 1945, he joined the army and later returned to Niles where he built two houses on River Bluff Road and remained thereafter a lifelong resident.

He married Miriam I. Wise of South Bend, Ind. on Dec. 13, 1957, in Angola, Ind.
She survives along with two sons, David M. Jones of Niles and Lawrence R. Jones of Conifer, Colorado.

He is also survived by six grandchildren, Michelle Harasewicz, Nichole Jones, and Melissa Austin of Niles, Glen Lemon of Berrien Springs, and Chelsea Jones and Autumn Jones of Conifer, Colorado, as well as two great-grandchildren, Isaac Miranda of Berrien Springs and Khloe Austin of Niles, and his step-mother. Ioma Davis.

In the 1970s he served as a volunteer police officer for Niles Township and also served as constable. He was employed by Studebaker in South Bend, owned a Sunoco Gas Station, and worked at National Standard Company from which he retired. He was a proud and outspoken member of the Republican Party. He enjoyed campfires, hard work, and listening to the music of Johnny Cash and Glen Miller.

Arrangements were by Hoven Funeral Home in Buchanan.