In Memory - Lance Jones (1921-2007)

My paternal Grandfather died on Saturday, December 8, in his bed. He was a great guy who always had a smile on his face and a joke on his lips. While I tend to be anti-social at times, Grandpa really enjoyed meeting and just talking with people. He raised a large family. He started a business and saw it to success, passing it down to my father and now my brother.

To me, he was the perfect grandfather - funny, kind, thoughtful and caring. I don't ever remember him dealing with me in any kind of anger or even raising his voice. Of course he was the person who taught me to fish.

He was there at all my high school plays and musicals. He was there during Little League. He was there when I graduated from high school, college, and law school. He loved flea marketing and, knowing my love of games, would often return with some board or card game he'd found, giving it to me months later when we visited. Because we live so far away, we didn't see him more than a couple of times a year, but he always had something for me and the family.

When I was a small boy, he delighted in giving me "girly" gifts, including, famously, an Easy Bake Oven. I enjoyed the attention and understood the affection he was showing by teasing me like that. And I loved that oven.

Many people my age haven't had a grandparent in decades. I was very lucky to have him around for almost 43 years of my life. I am especially glad that my kids got to know him and are both old enough that they'll remember their Great Grandpa for the rest of their lives.

Here's the notice.