EULOGY

As you listen to that song, first know that my dad loved that song. I would like to think that the Seven Spanish Angels they are singing about are all those close to us that we have lost over the past few years that are going take care of my father on his journey to his new home in heaven. I would also like to believe that the ‘battle’ they are referring to, is the very hard battle my dad had fought over the last 2 years with his health. He has fought a hard battle since his original surgery to remove the aneurism in his lower back. But everyone here needs to know he never gave up, nor have we. I have given it a lot of thought and I believe that maybe my dad wasn’t going to get better and the angels that where watching over him knew this and said that’s enough, no more suffering for you Delbert, time to take you to a better place. So they did.

Today I will try to tell all of you about a wonderful man, my father, and a little about his life. Delbert was loved by many and he will be missed by twice that. Apart from a wonderful father he was also a great dad and a wonderful friend to me and many of you. I could always pick up the phone and call him and just talk to him like he was a friend. I usually tried to do that at least once a week. One of the things I will miss the most is the fact he will never again be on the other end of that line.

Everyman dies but not everyman lives. Delbert Jones lived!

Life isn’t about finding yourself, it is about creating yourself. My father created a wonderful person and touched many people along the way. He spent the early part of his years growing up being a kid and being a partier. After my grand father forced him to finish high school he went on to spend several years in the Coast Guard. He loved his days in the Coast Guard and always had a story to tell about those days. He very much enjoyed his younger days and had a great time growing up and having fun. If anyone here has sat and talked to him and heard some of those stories you know exactly what I am talking about. Those having fun days just kind of stayed with him and he was always up to having fun with either My Uncle George, or my Uncle Floyd and I even heard a few interesting stories with my Uncle Ray. He had great memories of those days. As time went on he started his own family. He unconditionally loved all of us kids with all of his heart and did everything he could to provide us with the things we needed. He worked very hard in his life. He spent his entire career as a Scale Service Technician and then Service Manager, approx 26 years with Perry Scale Company and then approx 15 years with Aabbott Scale Company. He loved his job and he loved going to work everyday! And he equally loved coming home to us kids in evening. He spent many years in the Local Fire Dept, Westfield Road Volunteer Fire Dept, and that was just another task he took on that he enjoyed and his enjoyment from that task was just helping other people out. And through all of those years of hard work, fire dept, and raising kids he found a way to continue to have fun. Even on his 50th B-Day I can remember a certain someone telling my father he was (for lack of better words) ‘scared’ to drive down to Mexico and party. Guess where we where headed about an hour later? But that is a whole other story. He was also always there to help others out. If there was a benefit and they needed a cook he was the first to offer. Someone needed help moving he was right there. It was those types of qualities and traits that made people love and respect my father so much.

A couple years ago he was told he had an aneurism and that aneurism had to be operated on immediately. As a matter of fact I can recall the hospital calling him and telling him he was in serious condition and he needed to lie on the couch and they would send Life Flight to come get him in Livingston. He told them not to worry he was going to wash his truck and cut his grass and he would be in there first thing in the morning and that is exactly what he did. That’s just the kind of man Delbert Jones was. Strong minded, stubborn, and set in his ways, BUT would do anything for those he loved. They asked me the other day what his occupation was and I replied “To aggravate Ruby”. As much as Ruby would preach to him to go to the doctor or hospital Delbert was just going to do what Delbert wanted to do. She loved him and he loved her but that is just the stubbornness in him. When he did finally make it to the hospital for that aneurism surgery we all know he was very scared but we where all there for him day after day. He was scared because he was afraid he would never be able to do the things in life that he enjoyed, like fishing, hunting, cutting the grass, and just normal things that a man his age enjoyed doing. And you know what, He was right! My father never really recovered form the first surgery and then he had to have it done all over again a second time. He never looked forward to his dialysis treatments or going to the doctor or going to the hospital but he did them because he wanted to live. He wanted to see his kids and grand kids grow up. Delbert Jones did not give up but his body did.

Apart from being a wonderful father he was a wonderful friend to me. I could call him anytime to get his input on just about any subject. That I will miss greatly. He was there for me when I was growing up, he was there for me when I was in trouble, he was there for me when I got married and he was there for me when my son was born. Those are all memories I will cherish forever. I hope everyone has the same great memories they can take with them to remember him by. Those of you that really knew him when he was younger think about all the great fun times you had together and what an awesome person he was.

One of the great traits about my father was the fact he always seemed more worried about everyone else and not himself. He had his rough times in life and when he lost his close relatives such as his own father and mother and sister it hurt him bad and saddened him deeply. But he had an interesting way of absorbing his own feelings and thinking that his own family needed him now so he had to move on and take care of them.

He left behind many people who loved him very much. But as I look at all of you and after talking to you over the past couple of days you all know he is in a better place. He is in no pain, he is not dreading those trips to Dialysis, and he is back to being the Delbert we all know and love. I am sure those angels are showing him the way through the gates and getting him acquainted with all those that got there before him. Just remember death ends a life, not a relationship. While we are mourning the death of my father others are rejoicing to meet him at the gates.

My dad was my hero and I will never forget him. I am sure he will be my guardian angel and be watching over me and my family, and all of you that will be loving and missing him, for years to come. There is a song that sings about Holes in the floor of heaven and he is watching down on us. I truly hope he can see all of you and how much you all cared for him and will miss him. Dad we love you and we will miss you greatly. DAD I WILL LOVE YOU FOREVER AND I WILL NEVER FORGET YOU!

You’re Son, DJ

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