Rich Jones, the longtime director of policy and research for the Bell Policy Center, died Jan. 2 after a long illness.

Jones’ funeral will be on Monday, Jan. 9 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in Aurora. He will be interred at Fairmount Cemetery at 1:30 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, his family is requesting donations to the Sarah Cannon Fund at the American Cancer Society or to Urban Peak.

Jones was a familiar face at the state Capitol for 15 years, testifying on legislation on behalf of the Bell. He retired in Feb. 2019.

In a statement, the Bell said its staff are deeply saddened by Jones’ passing. He was “an institution in the Colorado policy community…instrumental in our research and advocacy to expand opportunity for Coloradans, including leading work on child care assistance, two-gen policy, minimum wage, workers’ rights and protections, fighting predatory lending, retirement security, the state budget, and fiscal policy.

Scott Wasserman, the Bell’s president, said: “Rich was a salt of the earth guy who knew policy deeply and had an unfailing compass when it came to doing the right thing for the people of Colorado. We mourn with his family and will miss him.”

Joey Bunch, former Colorado Politics deputy manager editor, said Jones “helped me understand complicated things without ever making me feel dumb for most of the last 20 years.

“I looked forward to our lunches for the insights and especially for the laughs. He made life better for everybody in Colorado, without seeking praise or even attention. He put everything he had into it.”

Bunch added that he hopes the legislature will find a way to permanent honor him.

“Republicans and Democrats should agree that he was a man of tremendous caring and service beyond his self-interest, and we need people like Rich today more than ever. He will be missed by everyone who knew him, right or left, and that includes me more, for sure,” Bunch said.

Jones obtained a masters degree in public administration from Penn State University. He spent 17 years  as director of legislative programs for the Denver-based National Conference of State Legislatures before joining the Bell in 2004. 

Jones was born in December 1953 to Harry and Mable Jones in Darby, PA. He received his undergraduate degree in political science from Shippensburg University, where he played football and met his wife, Beverly Bolesta. The couple had two children, Christina and Matthew, after moving to Colorado in 1981. He was preceded in death by Beverly and his parents.

Jones is survived by partner Brenda Erickson, daughter Christina Jones, son Matthew Jones, and four grandchildren.