Jared Gethin Jones passed through the veil Thursday, November 9, 1995. He was 27 years old.
Jed was born October 2, 1968 in Washington, D.C. with a crumpled ear which eventually grew straight and true. He spent most of his life in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he graduated from Skyline High School in 1987. Following high school Jed served four years in the U.S. Navy stationed in Subic Bay, Philipines and Barstow, Calif. Based on his corpsman training in the Navy, Jed earned his LVN and was working towards RN and medical school. At the time of his dezath he was teaching anatomy labs at the University of Utah with his brother, Joshua.An Eagle Scout, Jed spent three summers running rivers in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, one of his most beloved places on earth. He ran overnight backpacking and canoe trips with the Boy Scouts of America, owned Teton High Adventure Base Camp and guided rafting expeditions on the Snake River with the commercial outfit Lone Eagle. His family and friends would descend upon the town on the 4th of July and celebrate the great outdoors together.
Jed played Rugby with his brothers on the Skyline Men's Club, which won the Division II championship last April. He said he loved nothing better than a hard, fast, sweaty game playing alongside his brothers - not to mention he could sew up anybody who lost an ear in the process.
He was a kind and gentle soul, always willing to lend a hand and help you up when you were down. Mom says he carried the pain of the world on his shoulders since the day he was born. Nevertheless, he was full of life and charisma, making friends wherever he went. Sitting still was not his forte.
Jed loved BYU football, a good party, fried rice, bagels, root beer, mom's sweet-n-sour chicken - all food in general. He ran marathons, loved to ski, hike, lift weights, teach Kristen how to do stylish lay-ups, sleep on Beau (the family dog), and drive his '73 VW bus - when it was working.
Jed is survived by his parents: Thomas L. and Patricia Jones; brothers and sisters: Tom (wife, Karen and son, Joe), Lara, Joshua, Benjamin, Jesse, and Zachary; Kristen Deem, his loving companion and soul mate; grandmother, Catherine Ward; the Oikawa family, Walt and Sandy Madsen, and many cousins and friends who will miss him dearly. Tell each other your Jed stories and he will always be with us.
A memorial service will be held this Tuesday, November 14, 11 a.m. at the Holladay 28th Wardhouse, 2625 E. Milo Way (4910 So.), Salt Lake. A viewing will be held Monday, November 13, from 6-8 p.m. at Cottonwood Mortuary, 4670 So. Highland Drive, Salt Lake, and an hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be at Holladay Memorial Park, 4900 So. Memory Lane (east of Cottonwood Mall), with graveside dedication.
In lieu of flowers, donations are being accepted by Sandy Madsen, 7319 Towncrest Drive, Sandy, Utah 84121, for the creation of a Jared Jones memorial campsite in Jackson Hole.
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