ATLANTA — Channel 2 Action News has learned that legendary Atlanta radio host Warren “Rhubarb” Jones died of a heart attack Sunday afternoon. He was 65.
Funeral home owner Tammy Miller of the Miller Funeral Home in Tallapoosa confirmed the news to Rodney Ho, of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, on Sunday afternoon.
"I last saw him about six months ago. He invited me to a Chamber event up in Kennesaw and I spent an hour just talking about my job and the media business. I've also been a guest instructor a couple of times when he taught journalism," Ho said in his Radio and TV Talk blog Sunday.
Jones ran a celebrity golf tournament for more than 18 years for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, raising more than $3.5 million.
Jones was a morning host at what was then Y106 and then Eagle 106.7 from 1985 to 2008. He then worked at Kennesaw State University as a development officer and media instructor.
KSU sent a statement saying:
"<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: black;">The entire Kennesaw State University community is mourning the loss of colleague and Georgia radio pioneer Rhubarb Jones, who died </span><span class="object"><span style="font-family:">today</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: black;"> at the age of 65.</span>
<span style="font-family:">Jones, who joined Kennesaw State in 2008, served as senior director of development and as a faculty member in the School of Communications. He was one of the most popular professors among the communications students and a passionate supporter of KSU.</span><o:p></o:p>
<span style="font-family:">"This is a very sad day for all of us," said KSU President Sam Olens. "Rhubarb always had a smile on his face, a generous spirit and was dedicated to helping others. He was a truly authentic individual, his death is a great loss and we will all deeply miss him. Our hearts, thoughts and prayers go out to his family."</span><o:p></o:p>