The other day when nobody was looking, I slipped into her bedroom and gently closed the door, so that I would not be disturbed and so I could spend some quiet moments of reflection. The room depicted so many wonderful times in Jeanne's life. There were her cheerleader trophies, photographs of friends, family, special occasions, items belonging to her big brother Dylan, and information reference an upcoming beauty pageant in California. And let's not forget the modeling career she dreamed of!

I was reminded of how much she enjoyed life and the spirit in which she lived it. She was the gleam in her father's eye and often spoke of as his special angel. She was her mother's partner at the snack bar, helping to raise money for Dylan's baseball teams, she helped her mother with the home based business and she was her mother's best friend.

As I left Jeanne's room and walked through the rest of the house I observed photographs of Jeanne in various modeling poses, and other photographs but what caught my eyes were the wedding photographs of her sisters' Januari and Kim's weddings. Oh how proud she was of her sisters and her new brother-in-law's Jaime and Ian. I remember her running around trying to help each of her sisters during the final moments before their weddings. And how beautiful she looked. I remember her beautiful smile, with her arms and hands reaching out to hold her new nephew Trevor, and how excited she was at the thought of being an Aunt, to her sister Kim and Ian's first child.

I remember once asking her how she felt now that she was the only daughter living at home, her reply, "It means I don't have to share the bathroom with them". And if you knew Jeanne, her replies were often short and to the point. But more importantly, her dad and mom had more time to devote to her and her maturing into a young lady. Of course that didn't mean she had the house to herself, Dylan was still at home.

Dylan and Jeanne had a very special relationship. Jeanne was Dylan's biggest fan and supporter. There were so many nights when Dylan was playing football for Peoria High School, and our families would be in the stands watching, but it was Jeanne who lead the cheering , of course their were those other occasions when she was on a social butterfly on mission, to meet and greet all of her friends. And as you can see here today, she has many. This was of course under the watchful eyes of her mother and dad.

Jeanne admired and respected her brother so very much. She came to me once and asked, Do you think my brother will ever make the big leagues? I asked her why and she responded, because I want him to be happy and I know it means so much to him. Jeanne didn't ask me about his ability or talent, she just wanted her brother to be happy. And when my brother's house was enlarged and with her two sisters gone, guess which room Jeanne took, Dylan's old room.

I wish that I knew that one special moment that each of you must have had or shared with Jeanne, so I could share it here today for you with everyone present but I don't, but please take time today to share it with me or another member of our family.

What I do know and have seen these last few days, is that Jeanne is loved and holds a special place in so many hearts gathered here today. As I looked at all of those little gifts, cards, pictures, stuffed animals and other items left in her casket last night, and all the beautiful flowers, I can only say thank you and you too now hold a special place in her family's hearts. I do want to share what Tiffany, Jeanne's best friend said to me last night, when I asked her how Jeanne looked, she replied while gently wiping away the tears, "Like a little porcelain doll".

Jeanne will be missed, and words will never explain the sorrow and hurt our family feels today, but we must rejoice because she is how with our Lord.

I believe that Jeanne would want us all to take a moment to share our personal needs with God today, including your physical emotional, relational, and spiritual concerns and take your loved one's into your arms and remember that our time on earth is limited as with our Jeanne.

Before closing I want to share one of our families saying, "His, Her's and Their's". My brother Steve had Kim in a previous marriage , my sister-in-law Laura had both Januari and Dylan in a previous marriage, and on January 17, 1983, they were blessed with Jeanne Francis Jones, thus His, Her's, and Their's. But as I stand before you on this 3rd day of June 1998, I now see His, Her's, Their's and Our's. Jeanne was all of our's for this brief moment in time but she has left us a lifetime of memories. Goodbye my Jeanne, the words I've spoken here today about you and for you will never compare to the love I hold for you.!

On behalf of our entire family, Thank You, for sharing your love for Jeanne with us here today.

By Chuck Jones

June 3, 1998