Avery Jones, 1990 - 2006

Today started like most other Thursdays. I had to go to work like I do everyday. I read all my E-mails and answered all my calls. Many tasks were performed today as they are on every other day at work. No one expected a week ago that we would be gathered to mourn the passing of Avery Jones. March 23, 2006 will be like no other Thursday to come. Today we say goodbye to Avery Jones.

On Feb. 12, 1990, Avery Brigham Jones was born to Mike and Leslie Jones. They were so happy. Avery grew to be a kind and loving person.

Avery attended St. Andrew’s School from kindergarten to Grade 10. Like most, he was not always overly eager to study but he did. His marks were good and he loved being at school every day. He loved his friends, he loved games, music and, of course, he loved all of the teachers. It feels as though a light has gone out in our school and has been replaced with emptiness. Many smiles have been discarded and replaced with tears.

Sadness lives strong in many of us. We will not see Avery again. Friends will not run into him at his locker, sit with him in class or work with him on assignments. Teachers wilt no longer see his face in the classroom eager to learn.

Kids like Avery are the reason we are there. It is a terrible blow, not only to us, but to all the hearts that Avery had yet to touch. Avery’s light was no ordinary light. He let his light shine. It illuminated everything that he touched. We all thought there was so much more for him to do. We never thought that he had already completed his task. But now, his being with us in spirit only is a reality we must learn to cherish.

Avery worked at the IGA, only for a short time. Three to four weeks was plenty of time to discover that allowance is a great thing. Even if it is not a huge amount, he could manage without having to work.

Avery was a world traveler, or at least aspired to be one. His Uncle Bruce worked in South America and his uncle George lives in Australia. Both are here today. He had already conquered great distances by visiting Shaw’s Point, Triangle, Sunset House and Alder Ridge. Now Avery was very psyched at the thought of visiting one of those far off places that his uncles had conquered.

Weekends were made for sleeping, video games and maybe making music. He was the master of the X-Box and played the bass guitar. His friends and he often attempted to play and write songs although most times they were sidetracked by something.

Only through these experiences of success and defeat can a person be strengthened. Avery developed character and was strong. It is not the length of his life, but the depth of it that is important.

If I had to select one word to describe Avery Jones, the word would be ‘Avery’. Avery is not just a name, it’s a descriptive adjective, it’s an attitude and a presence, it’s pride, it’s friends and it’s family. It’s all the things a student, a friend, a brother, and a son should be.

Laughing was important to Avery. He had a knack for getting others to laugh. It was not always at the appropriate time. Even when they all knew that someone may get into trouble someone would wind up laughing. I’m sure that he would have us trade this week’s tears for laughter if he were here.

Avery Jones was special. In all the world there’s nobody like him. Since the beginning of time, there has never been another person quite the same. Nobody has his smile. Nobody has his eyes, his voice or his hair.

My God, his hair! Long and straight. Short and spiky. And the newest style – large, very large. Only a week ago I told him how awesome it looked. You should never get another haircut. I knew Mike and Les would hear that when it got to the point that he needed one.

Nobody anywhere has his tastes for food or music. No one sees things just as he did. There’s no one who laughed like him, no one who cried like him. No one reacted to situations just as Avery would react. He was unique. He was the only one in all of creation who had his specific set of abilities.

There will always be somebody who is better at the things Avery was good at, but no one can reach the quality of his combination of talents, ideas, abilities and feelings. Like a room full of musical instruments, some may excel alone, but none can match the sound when all are played together. Avery was the whole band. No one will ever look, talk, walk, think, or do like him. He was rare. He did not need to be in the limelight. He did not need to imitate others. He accepted and celebrated his differences.

It’s no accident that we were able to share in the life of Avery Jones. He was here for a very special purpose. A job for him to do that no one else could have done nearly as well as he did. Out of all the billions of available people, only Avery was qualified, only he had the combination of what it took.

Mike, Leslie, Steven, Kelby and their family would like to thank all of Avery’s friends and teachers, who became a part of his life. They are forever grateful to all who gave him happiness and love for the short time that he was with us. Thank you all for your support through the Jones’ time of grief.

Once A Saint Always A Saint!

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