THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, July 11, 1995 TAG: 9507110392
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
LENGTH: Short : 43 lines
The passing Sunday of Royce Jones evoked memories of a grand era in Norfolk Academy football.
Jones, 62, was the athletic director and football coach at Norfolk Academy from 1961 to 1979. He spent the past 16 years at VMI, most recently as director of cadet affairs.
``He was just so committed and dedicated to Norfolk Academy,'' said Dave Trickler, who coached with Jones at Norfolk Academy and succeeded him as football coach and athletic director. ``He and his wife, Margaret, and their two sons and two daughters were the first family of Norfolk Academy.''
Jones' teams were 93-57-7, including 8-0 in 1967. Twice he was named Metropolitan Coach of the Year by the Norfolk Sports Club.
He coached both sons, Chip and Craig, in football. Chip, a quarterback, passed for 2,311 yards and 23 touchdowns, and scored 1,879 points in basketball.
Craig kicked a Norfolk Academy-record 55-yard field goal in 1975 and set a NCAA record for field goal accuracy as a freshman at VMI when he converted 15 of 18 attempts.
Jones was a native of Hampton and was the captain of Hampton High's 1950 state championship football team.
A big sports fan, he operated the scoreboard at Met Park for a decade.
``He was a wonderful guy,'' Tides general manger Dave Rosenfield said. ``A fun guy, a nice guy.''
Services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Manley Memorial Baptist Church in Lexington, Va. Burial will follow at Stonewall Jackson Cemetary. ILLUSTRATION: Royce Jones' Norfolk Academy football teams were 93-57-7,
including 8-0 in 1967.
KEYWORDS: DEATH OBITUARY by CNB