Dr. Gary LeGore Jones

Gary was born on September 11, 1938, in Omaha, Nebraska. When he was four years old, his family moved to Southern California, where he spent the rest of his childhood. After serving in the U.S. Army, he attended college in Long Beach and earned his Ph.D. from Claremont Graduate School. In 1969, Gary moved to Las Vegas, where he lived for 56 years.

Gary was a professor of Political Science at UNLV from 1969 until his retirement in 2001, when he was granted emeritus status. During his tenure, he served as Chairman of the Faculty Senate and participated in several other committees. Specializing in political theory and philosophy, he inspired generations of students to pursue careers in public policy and community leadership through his passion for teaching and his commitment to fostering critical thinking.

Gary was deeply devoted to his family, enjoyed traveling, gardening, and model trains, and was an avid reader and music lover. He was a die-hard sports fan, and loved the Dodgers, New Orleans Saints, and UNLV Runnin' Rebels.

Gary was preceded in death by his parents, Raymond and Ruth Jones, and older brother Parky Jones. He is survived by his three children, Kathleen (Matthew) Jones-Monte, Melanie (David) Hjalmervik, Christopher (Annalyn) Jones, their mother, Carol Jones, his former wife and life-long friend, 8 grandchildren, 4 great-grandchildren, his younger brothers Dennis Jones and Kent Jones, and many other loving family members.

A memorial service to honor Gary’s life will be held on Saturday, May 31, 2025, at 12:00 PM at Palm Mortuary South Jones, located at 1600 S Jones Blvd, Las Vegas, NV. A reception will follow the service from 1:00-3:00 PM. Gary will be laid to rest in a private family ceremony at the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Cleveland Clinic Lou Rouvo Center for Brain Health in support of Parkinson's Disease & Movement Disorders or the Music Therapy program. Donations may be made by calling (702) 483-6000 or online at https://my.clevelandclinic.org/locations/nevada/support.