Tim Jones dies, Reno arts leader and co-founder of Artown

Tim Jones, a Reno arts supporter and co-founder of Artown, has died. He was 66.

Those close to him said that he died of a massive heart attack early Monday morning while spending a long weekend weekend in San Francisco. Jones had a history of heart problems.

"I got a text from him on Saturday that said, 'It was a perfect weekend,'" said Karen Craig, a close friend and co-founder of Artown.

Jones started Artown two decades ago with Craig, Mark Curtis and Howard Rosenberg. At the time, it was "Uptown Downtown Artown." It did not take on its current name until several years later.

"One of the purposes of Artown was to get the community to rediscover its city," Jones told the RGJ in July.

Artown still continues many of the programs that Jones initiated, including Discover The Arts, Beethoven At Bartley and Movies in the Park.

"He really was a profound and passionate person for the arts, and he will be missed forever. He gave and gave and gave. He never tried to take back, he just gave," said Artown Executive Director Beth Macmillan. "It’s such a shock."

Jones's work was not limited to Artown.

Heserved as a governor-appointed member of the Nevada Council for the Arts from 2001 to 2013, the last six years of which he was the board chairman.

"We have been working side by side as colleagues and friends for what seems like a lifetime, through thick and thin," said Susan Boskoff, director of the council for the past 22 years.

Jones also was emeritus director of university arts at UNR and KUNR station manager from 1980 to 1987.

Originally from the Midwest, Jones came to Reno to continue his career in radio broadcasting at the University of Nevada, Reno.

"I heard his voice, and said, 'Dude, I know where you came from, radio broadcasting,'" Boskoff recalls after meeting Jones. "We used to joke and say he was the 'voice of the arts' because he’s the one everyone would use for commercials and promotions. He had that 'voice of God' kind of a voice.'

Jones was considered one of the greatest advocates for the arts in Reno and in the state, spending nights sleeping on the couch during legislative sessions just so that he could speak with legislators about how imperative funding the arts was to the community, Boskoff recalls.

Although dogged for funding, his friends also recall his gentle, caring nature.

"He made all of us feel like we were the closest person in the world," said Craig, who saved 20 years worth of notes from Jones, some of them congratulatory, some of them condolences, others just to say "Hello."

Jones had probably 60 best friends because he was so immersed in his friends lives, Craig said, but he had a way with the community, too.

Craig still recalls during the first year of Movies in the Park when the film "Grease" was playing because Artown overlapped with Hot August Nights at the time. Jones coordinated with restaurants to serve to-go, diner hamburgers and fries for the evening, Craig said.

But during one of the musical's most popular songs, "You're the One that I Want," the film had a glitch and stopped.

"Back then it was reel to reel, so Tim was trying to fix it, but at the same time he had the sense to encourage people to keep singing. It was the first time that the entire community singing out on the lawn and we were singing together, strangers sitting shoulder to shoulder," Craig remembers. "He fixed it, but he didn’t turn the volume back up right away. He let the community finish that song. The magic in the park -- it wasn’t on the screen at that moment."

Jones's work also extended to KNPB, the Holland Project and the Reno Arts Consortium.

Additionally, he wrote a book, "The Work of Art: Creativity and the Work Ethic," in 2006 and served as the board chairman for the Nevada Arts Council.

Jones is survived by his two children, son Jeff and daughter Sheree, and three grandchildren.

Memorial services are to be announced.

This story will be updated.