Jeri Jones
Jeri Jones Conservation Story
Jeri Lee Jones was born in Hanover Hospital in Hanover, Pennsylvania (Pa) on April 7, 1954. His father, Karl William Jones, was born in York, PA and his mother, Catherine Isabella Moore, was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. Jeri’s maternal grandfather, Paul B. Moore, an engineer, was well known for developing and patenting a heat pump made by Borg Warner and York Corporation.
Jeri attended: grades 1-4 at Wilson Elementary School; grades 5-6 at Madison Elementary School; grades 7-9 at Edgar Falls Smith Junior High School; grades 10-12 at William Penn Senior High School-all in the city of York, Pa. In 1977, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in geo-archeology from Catawba College in Salisbury, North Carolina. In 1984 and 1985 he did graduate work on geology and archeology at Millersville University in Millersville, Pa.
Jeri’s credits his early interest in geo-archeology to his work on his 6th grade science project on rocks and minerals he collected while on a family vacation in North Carolina. He received assistance on the project from Jay Lininger, a member of the York Rock and Mineral Club. Jay was the owner of Matrix Publishing in Dillsburg, who published two of Jeri’s books on local geology. Jay helped Jeri identify, label, and display the collection on a plaster board. Jeri won first place with his project in the school science fair. At about this time, Jeri’s parents joined the York Rock and Mineral Club with a family membership, which grew into a life-long interest in rock and mineral collection in mostly south-central PA. A close family friend, and fellow rock and mineral collector, Ed Charles, joined Jeri and his father in collecting and the activities of the club. Ed’s conservation story is told in the “Education Stories” Section of the paconservationheritage.org website.
Along with his interest in geology Jeri developed keen interests in astronomy, paleontology, and archeology. In pursuing his interests, he developed a love of reading books from the Pa Geological Survey and other libraries and ones he purchased. Much of Jeri’s spending money in his younger years and throughout his life was spent on purchasing books about astronomy, geology, archeology, and paleontology.
During high school, Jeri met Earl Brooks, a commercial artist and hobby astronomer. As Jeri walked past Earl’s house on the way to his neighborhood church on Linden Avenue in York, he admired his homemade telescope. Eventually, Earl took Jeri under his wing and showed him how to climb a ten-foot ladder and view the wonders of the universe. He taught him the star-searching technique of “Star Hopping” to recognize and locate celestial objects. Jeri commented that he almost went to Catawba College to study astronomy but decided on geo-archeology. He credits Earl Brooks with inspiring his lifelong interest and enjoyment of star gazing.
After high school, Jeri was introduced to Catawba College. His older brothers, Karl and Floyd graduated from Catawba College. At Floyd’s graduation ceremony, Jeri met the president of the college. The president encouraged Jeri to attend Catawba and indicated that his application to the college would be accepted, and it was.
Early on and throughout his academic and professional life Jeri embraced the conservation philosophy of “preserving geological, historical, and archeological resources in-place to the extent possible.” This helps to ensure that there are opportunities for new analyses technologies to yield information that would otherwise be lost if the resources are moved from their origin location.
Jeri’s first professional positions in the field of geo-archeology were as geologist and consulting geologist in the Museum of Anthropology of Catawba College from 1974 to 1984. During this period, he grew to appreciate the relationship between geology and archeology. By understanding how the earth was formed and evolved over time, it is much easier to analyze and interpret history and prehistory. He believes that geology has a major influence on life on earth as plants, animals, and man strive to survive.
From 1979 to 2017 Jeri’s professional focus and making-a-living shifted from geo-archeology to parks and recreation management as program coordinator with the York County Parks Department. In these roles, he assisted the Parks Department in providing recreational and educational opportunities to park users and serving as a steward of York county’s recreational assets.
As program coordinator, Jeri organized special events such as moonlight boat rides on Lake Redman with an astronomy focus; gold panning seminars; summer archeology weeks; and Christmas Magic at Rocky Ridge Park. To this day, Jeri loves talking to school groups and senior citizens and educating them about the worlds “under their feet.”
In the late 1980’s, Jeri created Jones Geological Services and did part-time consulting. After retiring from the York County Parks Department in 2017, he concentrated full-time on providing consulting services such as conducting field trips, classes, lectures for all ages on geology, astronomy, paleontology, and archeology. This involved conducting geological research for the U. S. Geological Survey and the Pa Geological Survey in Pa and other states. He did geological research and field surveys in Adams, York, and Lancaster Counties and contributed to the writing of five (5) books on local geology. He narrated a three (3) part video series known as “Time Walk” and regularly wrote geologic columns for the York Daily Record newspaper.
From 2008 to 2010, Jeri played a key role in collecting and documented first-hand reports from local citizens in the Dillsburg area during the unusual “Earth-Quake Swarm” and became a trusted source of information.
Over many years, Jeri researched and supplied mining industry information to Northern York County municipalities to assist them in developing and implementing land use plans and ordinances. This information proved to be very critical to their efforts to ensure public safety while reviewing and issuing subdivision, zoning, and building approvals and permits.
Throughout his long and varied professional life, Jeri has continued to spread the word on the importance of understanding earth sciences to sustain and improve your quality of life.
Jeri considers his hobbies to be astronomy, geology and dirt track auto racing. He dad took him to his first race in 1963, and he has been an avid fan ever since. In the last 12 years, he combined his geology skills and auto racing interest and created a unique consulting business for Central Pa racetracks such as Williams Grove Speedway near Mechanicsburg, PA and Lincoln Speedway near Abbottstown, PA.
He supplies geologic expertise in obtaining and properly applying the best clay for the racetrack surfaces. He has developed his own tests of the clay to determine its permeability and hardness. He commented that there is no “how to” book formulating his advice on dirt racetrack construction, maintenance, and operation. Maximizing traction and minimizing dust are primary goals.
2022: cub pack 2
Jeri is life member of the Central Pa Rock and Mineral Club, Harrisburg Geological Society, the York Astronomical Society, and a long-time member of the Geological Society of America. However, Jeri’s educational activities extend to other groups far beyond them. His public speaking abilities and passion for the fields of geology, archeology, and astronomy are phenomenal. He enthusiastically brings joy and inspiration to his peers and a wide spectrum of audiences. His knack for skillfully presenting scientific information to lay audiences is remarkable. Everyone in attendance can understand and relate to his creative combinations of stories, artifacts, photos, maps, data, and technical concepts. He specializes in enabling his audiences to create their own understanding and conclusions and not coming across as an author or expert on any subject.
Jeri has developed and delivered over 65 Power Point presentations on a wide variety of geology, archeology, and astronomy subject matters.
Jeri holding anticline
Undoubtedly, Jeri’s favorite educational activities are organizing field trips, boat rides, amateur field research, and conferences in Central Pennsylvania. Walking with individuals, small groups through active, inactive stone quarries, or cultural resource sites as he points out the origin of the rocks, minerals and their importance to society comes naturally. Leading an excavation or data recovery of historic or pre-historic sites by a group or volunteers is an absolute joy for him. Conducting a night-time boat ride with a group at Lake Redman to view the night sky and its objects “always brings heaven close to earth for him.
Jeri always strives to bring people of all ages, orientations, and abilities to learn about the earth and the sky and to think about being good stewards. Although he has done extensive geo-archeological research, developed academic curricula, taught classes, provided geological services, and conducted field trips, he considers his legacy to be showing people how to enjoy the environment and be good stewards. Most of all, he wants people to understand “what is under their feet.”
Jeri’s wife, Lou Ann Jones of 36 years, has, from day one in their relationship, been a strong supporter of his personal and professional lives. As a minister, her and Jeri have many intensive discussions of geoscience and the Bible.
Jeri is perpetually dealing with property owners to gain access to their lands for field trips and scientific investigations. He credits his success to gaining access to earning and showing respect to the property owner and to demonstrate strict obeyance to their expectations and regulations.
In 1996 Jeri invented, developed, and operated the Mobile Discovery Center with no York County funding. Sponsors donated a 40-foot race car trailer, a dually pickup to transport the Center. It traveled around York County schools and around the state to fairs and festivals. He and volunteers built the displays and maned the Center.
Among the many colleagues, Jeri enjoyed interacting with was Rose Ann Behr, Senior Scientist with the Pa Geological Survey, Pat Bowling with the PA Department of Environmental Protection, and late Dr. Roger Cuffey, Professor of Paleontology at Penn State.
Jeri has traveled the East Coast of the U. S. and to Arizona.
Jeri is a natural speaker who injects planned and unplanned humor into his talks. He effectively uses the feedback from his audiences “to decide what he talks about on the fly.”
In response to the public gathering restrictions created by Covid 19, Jeri created the “Zoom Rock Room” held on first and third Tuesday’s evenings at 7:00 p.m. Over 150 sessions of the Zoom virtual gatherings of rock and mineral enthusiasts have been conducted. During these sessions, Jeri and others lead a free-flowing discussion on a topic and let the participants share their thoughts and experiences. An average of 27 people join the virtual interactions. The sessions are recorded and archived so that they can be viewed online at any time. The link to the Zoom Rock Room sessions is www.jonesgeo.us.
Jeri’s Conservation Story was written by Jeri and Wayne Kober after two interviews on April 25 and 29, 2025 and from personal background information supplied by Jeri.