Orvil Lee Jones Jr.

Born in Dallas February 15, 1941, he graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School, and attended Southern Methodist University on a baseball scholarship. He served in the United States Navy at COMSUBPAC Pearl Harbor. While in the service in 1967, he earned a first degree blackbelt in karate. He began teaching and coaching at Highland Park Middle School in 1968 before moving to the High School, where for the next 36 years, he was instrumental in the development of one of the most successful athletic programs in the country as a renowned teacher, mentor, and coach of football and baseball. He served as the sponsor for Student Council, as well as Odyssey of the Mind, a theatre competition which won a world championship in 1991. He continued to be a part of the school as the “Voice of the Scots,” announcing games for baseball and football well into retirement, in addition to volunteering at Scottish Rite Hospital. In 2016, he received one of HPISD’s highest honors, the HPHS Alumni Association Distinguished Service Award. He had a love for the outdoors, making yearly trips to the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana.

He leaves behind a profound legacy of teaching, coaching and guiding thousands of young people, crossing multiple generations, many of whom stayed in close touch with him over the years. He maintained close friendships with many of his fellow coaches and teachers, celebrating the impact they had on so many young lives. He will be remembered for his trademark sense of humor, combined with an emphasis on discipline, love for family and community service that leaves this world a much better place than he found it.

He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Elaine Jones; children Dina Steele, Damon Jones and his wife Neda, and Dylan Jones and his wife Carol; grandchildren Rodman Steele of Dallas, Faye Steele of Dallas, Tai and Ray Jones of Austin, and Norah and Maya Allshouse of Los Angeles.

The family extends deep appreciation to Suzanne Collins and the staff of Suzanne’s Angels for their loving care of Orvil: Bianca Black, Pat Brown, Haymanot Himi Esheta, Courtney Kelley, Shenekia Reed, and Katherine Sherman.

If desired, memorial gifts may be made to the Highland Park Education Foundation, 4201 Grassmere Lane, Dallas, TX 75205, or visit www.hpef.org.