Joseph "Jay" Winters Jones Jr.
March 10, 1944 - February 7, 2008
Monday February 11th 2008
Today my heart is breaking. Today I buried my father.
Joseph Winters "Jay" Jones, Jr., passed away last Thursday - February 7th around 1:00
It was a phone call I did not want to receive. He went in to the hospital on Wednesday because he wasn't feeling well and they were running some tests. I spoke to him on Wednesday night and told him he better behave while he was there and do what the nurses told him to. The next morning I called to check on him and my stepmother called back to let me know that everything was fine. He was about to eat lunch and so far all of the test results were coming back great. After lunch my father was resting and had a Pulmonary Embolism, they were able to bring him back once but then he was gone.
I am truly devastated by this loss. My father has taught me so much about so many things. As soon as I found out and stopped screaming, I pulled the ARP staff together and simply stated that there were a few things I wanted - that I needed. We started going through all of the images that we have of my father and we found our favorites. Molly and Jeff worked on files, made collages, Hollie and Katie found frames, packed up framings supplies card board, easels - everything I would need to put stuff together once I got there. Nick rushed out and had the oil changed in the car before we left town. Debbie cleared my schedule for several days so we could be away. We sent prints to our lab with special instructions of a Saturday delivery at the Funeral Home. Everyone came together and was able to give my Dad an amazing "send off" in ARP Style. We had 7 Prints/Collages - all on floor easels and Jeff put together a DVD slideshow to play on a flat screen tv.
My father was an amazing man. He was so talented in so many areas. A great chef, gardener, vocalist and I can only imagine how he is using his talents in Heaven. He was also a great business man. He taught me that a large part of a successful business is how you treat your clients and the relationships you build with them.
I actually spoke at my father's funeral - and I'm so happy that I was able to make it through it. I had to - because it's what he would have done. I told everyone how thankful I am for all of the things he's taught me:
He taught me how to command an audience by the age of 5
I could get on stage and speak and sing without fear.
He taught me how to put my makeup on...
I remember one afternoon he was cleaning the pool and I was playing in my makeup and i had obviously made a bad first attempt...
he said "Allison - your eyes are a little close together - so put the darker color on the outside - lighter color on the inside."
He taught me how to handle people. I use this in our business everyday. I may take ok photographs, but thats just one part of the recipe. How to talk to someone make them feel comfortable, make them feel welcome, put them at ease - that's the most important part.
He taught me that nothing is impossible.
He taught me to set high expectations of myself and of others.
He taught me to have a very entrepreneurial spirit - I can't do anything without thinking about how I can sell it.
He taught me that it's important to be a generous and giving person.
We spent 4 straight hours in a visitation line on Saturday and we saw hundreds and hundreds of people. People came to my father's funeral and visitation that he hasn't seen in 40 years. It was so obvious that my father had touched so many people over his 63 years. He lived an amazing life.
My heart will continue to physically hurt because I was not ready to let him go.
It wasn't time. I had too many plans. I feel like I just started this phase of my life and there's so much of it I wanted him to see. I miss hims so very much.
Thank you ARP Crew for helping me make my dad's "going away party" very personal and special - and thank you for supporting me with your presence. I couldn't have made through the past few days without you guys, and I wont be able to make through the next ones without you either.
A very very very sad Allison
PS: Jeff and I have been married 8 years today - happy anniversary my sweet husband - I love you