An avid pilot recognized poet published composer of music ocean sailor and long-time civil servant to the United States federal government Roger H. Jones died on May 9th of pancreatic cancer in Port Orange Florida.

After graduating from Bethesda Chevy Chase High School in Bethesda Maryland in 1953 he attended Cornell University where he earned a B.A. in Political Science in 1957 and a Masters in Public Administration in 1960. He was married to Cynthia Jones Shoemaker from 1958 to 1984. After attending Cornell he served in the United States Army Reserve where he achieved the rank of Captain. Roger went on to earn his Juris Doctor degree from The American University Washington College of Law in1969.

During his distinguished civil service career he served in the Atomic Energy Commission Department of Justice and the U.S. Small Business Administration from 1960-1985. In the early '70s he served under the Special Assistant to the President of the United States for narcotics law enforcement working in the Office for Drug Abuse Law Enforcement which later became the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Roger served in the DEA during its first two years as Executive Officer and as a Deputy Assistant Administrator. From there he served in the Small Business Administration (SBA) in the mid-'70s and early 80's in various roles as an appointee of Presidents Carter and Reagan and was a charter member of the Senior Executive Service. Roger finished his civil service career as Chief Judge of the SBA in charge of the Office of Hearings and Appeals. Roger also taught law at night while serving in the government. After retiring from government in 1985 Roger spent eight years with two law firms in Los Angeles.

In the early '90s Roger retired from law practice and went ocean sailing eventually ending up in Ft. Lauderdale having come through the Panama Canal from the Pacific. At that time he met Peggy Haretos whom he referred to over the many years they spent together as his "soul mate" and scuba diving buddy. In 2000 Roger and Peggy moved to Spruce Creek an aviation fly-in community near Daytona Beach Florida. Roger spent the last nine years enjoying time on the water with Peggy on their Nordic Tug boat and in the various aircraft he owned. He served as a Director of the Foundation for the promotion of the Art of Navigation and taught celestial navigation for over 30 years. Roger is recognized as an accomplished poet and has been designated a Distinguished Member of the International Society of Poets. Some of his work was published in "The Best Poems and Poets of 2007" as well as recently in his own book "Echoes from Allidoro". Additionally he was an avid reader and man of firm faith in Jesus Christ.

He is survived by his partner Margaret Haretos and her two sons Phil (Evyenia) and Chris (Kelly) and by his four adult kids Roger (Janet) Jones Mike (Margaret) Jones Steve (Carisa) Jones and Allison (Bill) Lundeen. He is also survived by his brother Edward (Anne) Jones his sister Cynthia Hodges his thirteen devoted and loving grandchildren and one small but very loyal dog named Brandy.

Services will be held Saturday May 16th at 1:00 PM at Westminster By-The-Sea Presbyterian Church 3221 South Peninsula Drive Daytona Beach Shores FL 32118. All friends and family are welcome. In addition a Memorial Service will be held at 1:00 PM on June 13th at Rockville Presbyterian Church in Rockville MD.

In lieu of flowers the family would kindly appreciate that donations be made to the Roger H. Jones Memorial Cancer Foundation a charitable organization in the process of being established to support research into the early detection of pancreatic and other cancers. Donations can be sent to the foundation in care of: Margaret D. Haretos 1934 Seclusion Drive Port Orange FL 32128.