Jack Edward 'JJ' Jones

Jack Edward “JJ” Jones, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend, passed away August 22, 2009 after a three-year battle with leukemia.

Born Dec. 2, 1942, JJ was the youngest son of Jack and Joan Jones, and brother of Steve Jones of Caldwell.

Jack was born in Glendale, Calif., but soon moved with his family to northern Idaho, attending schools in both Bonners Ferry and Sandpoint, from where he graduated in 1961. JJ was elated to attend the University of Oregon on a football scholarship but finished his bachelor of science degree in business education at his much-loved University of Idaho in 1966 after a significant injury forced him to give up football. Jack would tell you that this was the best thing to have happened, because it led him to the U of I and his glorious Vandals.

Jack started his extensive career in education at Moscow High School, where he taught and coached from 1966-1971, when he moved to the Treasure Valley and began teaching and coaching at Vallivue High School. In the footsteps of his father, JJ received his  master of education degree in administration from the College of Idaho in 1977. JJ finished his career of 28 years at Vallivue High School, where he taught business and math, coached golf, basketball and football, and was serving as a part-time administrator at the time of his retirement in 1999.

Jack loved nothing more than spending time with friends doing what they all loved — playing golf or telling tales. In his years in the Treasure Valley, Jack made numerous friends, many of them either being former athletes he coached or former colleagues he coached against. Randy Aldridge was his long-time friend whose relationship began on the basketball court with JJ coaching him and continued to the golf course with Jack coaching his son Tyler. Other friends, coaches and officials who have had an immense impact on Jack and his family include his brother and best friend, Steve Jones, Bill Young, Jim Graham, Kelly Knee, Greg Hordemann, Ron Fortner, Don Wolf, Bob Ranells, Lew Montrose, Tom Dale, Garret Nancolas, Frank Fullmer, and many, many others who will never be forgotten.

Jack will always be remembered for his service to Idaho students as a considerate teacher, meticulous coach, and attentive official. Throughout his career, Jack was avidly dedicated to the expansion of the officiating profession, serving for over ten years as the IHSAA state and District III football commissioner, as a member of the District III Commissioner’s Advisory Board for seven years, and as two-time president of the Third District Officials Association.

Although Jack retired in 1999, he continued to coach golf at Vallivue High School as the school’s founding leader of the program. During this time of “retirement,” JJ also continued to fill his time with officiating both football and basketball and also serving as secretary of the District III Board of Control and as the district and state football commissioner until 2006, when his diagnosis of leukemia forced him to give up many of these favorite activities. One of Jack’s most memorable athletic moments came in 2007 when he was inducted into the IHSAA Hall of Fame for his valuable work with the programs he spent so much time advancing.

An award-winning coach, Jack led his golf teams to eight district titles and two state championships and his basketball teams to six district titles and one state championship. He was named 1976 State Basketball Coach of the Year, 2001 and 2002 State Golf Coach of the Year and was nominated for National Golf Coach of the Year in 1986. JJ was also the recipient of numerous District III Coach of the Year awards.

In 1983, Jack met and married the one and only love of his life, Sherry, and it was here that he first proved his courageous nature, giving up bachelor-hood in order to help Sherry raise her two pre-adolescent daughters, Julie and Kirsti. It was from these two daughters that Jack was given his biggest blessings — his five grandsons, Michael, Braeden, Garrett, Kade and Dylan; and his two granddaughters, Miranda and Mikayla. There was nothing in the world (except perhaps golf) that brought him more joy than seeing his grandchildren grow up in front of him and being there to support them in football, wrestling, and golf. Jack and Sherry celebrated their 26th wedding anniversary this past June with a trip to Las Vegas and Jack had been blessed to have been able to spend almost two weeks in Maui with Sherry, Kirsti and Todd Cady and their family this past March.

Jack was diagnosed with leukemia in November 2006. After spending six months at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, his donor was found in his brother Steve, and he received the stem cell transplant that enabled him to have two more years with his family. While in Seattle, Jack continued to have the life-giving support of his wife Sherry, as well as many visiting friends who always lent a hand when things got rough. Jack finally returned to his loving family, having fought the valiant fight, in June 2007.

Jack spent the next two years doing all that he could for others and living life to the fullest, making sure to enter as many golf tournaments as possible and to spend as must time as was allowed with his grandsons and their numerous athletic involvements. Always the eternal coach, Papa Jack made sure to give each grandson the individual time needed to perfect his particular skill. His final words to his youngest grandson on Thursday were his advice for Kade’s first year of tackle football … “Make sure to give your best and listen to your coach. Always listen.”

Jack is survived by his wife of 26 years, Sherry Jones of Nampa, his daughters, Julie Houghton (Bran) of Galesburg, Ill., and her children, Michael, Miranda, and Mikayla Bernhart, and Kirsti (Todd) Cady of Nampa and their children, Braeden, Garrett, and Kade Grigsby, and Dylan Cady. He is also survived by his brother, Steve Jones and wife Dee Dee and their children, Leslie (Bob) Dudman, Tom Jones, Shelley (David) Malmberg, and Jodi Haroun all of Caldwell; his aunt, Mary Verdal of Sandpoint; cousins, Bob Verdal of northern Alaska and Larry (Trisha) Verdal of Moscow, as well as numerous great-nieces, nephews, and cousins. Jack was preceded in death by parents, Jack and Joan Jones of Mt. Home; and his uncle, Thor Verdal of Sandpoint.

In addition to flowers, donations may be made to “The Jack Jones Memorial Fund” at any Home Federal Bank in order to support the Vallivue Falcons’ Golf Team, which will maintain and advance the program Jack created and the athletes he loved.

A celebration of Jack’s life will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2009, at the Vallivue High School Auditorium with burial to follow in the Hillcrest Memorial Gardens, Caldwell. A viewing will be held on Tuesday from 4-7 p.m. at the Nampa Funeral Home, Yraguen Chapel.