My dad (James Julien Jones) was born on March 25th 1951. From what people have told me my dad was born on Easter that year. I know that my dad grew up in Toledo and was a great wrestler in High School. He went to Ohio State on a Scholarship for Wrestling. My Dad met my Mom and have been married since. My parents had 3 children: Me (Jeremy), Chris and then Josh.  Dad owned his own Painting business that my brother Chris now runs.

What was my dad like with us while growing up. My dad loved to fish, I honestly don't think I know anyone who liked to be fishing more than my dad. Instead of having hobbies like cars, motorcycles ect. his hobby was the boat and fishing. I can remember fishing with my Dad and Grandpa Scott when I was younger. Eventually my dad had purchased his own boat and of course during the summer I think my Dad was either working, fishing, or working on the boat. Sometimes it was hard to go out on the boat with my Dad due to the way he thought that things should be run, but I think that after time we started to see eye to eye a little better and tended to get along better. I think the fact that I was a Mechanic for 6 or so years and was now deemed  my Dad's personal boat mechanic helped  a lot too. Then hardest thing for me after my Dad died was seeing the boat get sold. But boats unfortunately cost money to maintain and it would have been hard to justify keeping a boat and spending the money for the upkeep and dock and not really having enough time to enjoy it. Some day I'll buy another boat and get back to fishing.

Dad was and still is the biggest Ohio State fan that I have ever known. Growing up we got to listen to my Dad get excited about the football games. If Ohio State was losing at the time I think all of the neighbors knew that my Dad was getting excited about the game as well. He was very passionate about the Buckeyes and I think that made all of us passionate Buckeye fans as well. Every time I watch a Buckeyes game I will definitely hear my father yelling down to the team. I was glad that my Dad got to see his team finally win the National Championship. I think that was one of my Dad's happiest times seeing the Bucks win the Championship. Go Bucks!

My Dad loved to go up to the UP of Michigan for our family summer vacation. We would rent a cabin along with other family members and all have a good time fishing, site seeing, relaxing, swimming, skiing, bonfires and star gazing. We always had a good time and had stories to tell after we spent a week or two up there. I think we went up there 15 or 18 years in a row before we went some where else. I remember my dad saying to me I hope some day you bring your kids up here. Hopefully some day I will get to bring them up there and hopefully they enjoy it like I did when I was a kid, but I think we will be camping at the campgrounds instead of staying at the old cabins up there.

Site seeing was another of my Dad's things that he seemed to enjoy. I think anywhere we went we always drove around and saw the sights. Which probably why I like to do the same thing.

My Dad was definitely a family person. I didn't really realize how much until I moved out. He liked to have everyone get together, not just for holidays but all the time. The last memory of my dad was we had gone camping to East Harbor State Park and my Parents stayed the night and Haley was just a baby and was crying all night long but my dad was still happy to spend time with us and Haley. My dad and I took a ride down to the lake and talked about life a little bit, I remember my dad telling me how fast time goes by, about Haley and of course about fishing and what he was going to do to the boat this year and when he was going to be able to get out and go fishing. I didn't get to see my dad alive again after this day he passed away the next Tuesday.

I think about how much today I'm kind of like my Dad. We both have a weird sense of humor, we both love space and star gazing, sometimes I laugh when I here myself saying some of the things my Dad said to me when I was a kid and I'm now saying them to my Daughter.

One of the greatest joys I have ever seen my dad have was watching him with my daughter. I don't ever recall seeing my dad so happy when we had Haley and he was holding her with this big smile. I wish he could be here to watch Haley grow up and I wish Haley could have spent more time with him.

Time sure does fly by. I've been trying to get this finished so I can post this page but I have a hard time writing about my Dad lately. I get a little down in the dumps so to speak. It's been over a year since my Dad passed away and it still hurts to think about things.

Anyways here are a few photos that I have of my Dad and I hope that you enjoy them.