April 20, 2013
Date of Service: April 23, 2013
Section: Dogwood Section
“Please remember me as I was, healthy, happy, and trying to make you laugh.”
James Ray ‘Doc’ Jones, 64, left us on Saturday, April 20, 2013 in the Johnson City Medical Center. Except for 4 years in the Air Force, he was a lifetime resident of Johnson City.
He is preceded in death by his mother, Alice Corder, who died giving birth to him. Also his wonderful parents who adopted him, his mom Norma Treadway Jones and his dad Raymond M. Jones.
He is survived by: his loving wife, and best friend for many decades, Sherry L. Jones; brother, David McHone, and his wife Sherry, of Stevens Point, WI; son, Bret Jones, and his wife Cindy, of Hampton; daughter, Christy Trivette, and her husband Don, of Maumee, OH; daughter, Eve Justus, and her husband Otto, of Cedar Bluff, VA; and his friend for over 60 years, Randy Erwin, and his wife Wilma, of Johnson City. He will also be missed by his grandkids, other relatives, and a whole lot of friends.
After the Air Force, Doc joined the Washington County/Johnson City EMS in 1974 and in 1979 was one of six first paramedics in East Tennessee. He was a paramedic before retiring after 36 years of service. Following retirement he became an advocate for seat belt safety on school buses. He also volunteered with the local rescue squad for many years. He often said his life was blessed in many ways, especially his parents, his wife, his kids and his friends. He also said that to have a job in EMS was a huge blessing in than he got to help people who needed help.
But he said, many times, that his biggest blessing was that he found his wife Sherry. He was able to enjoy the life he had been blessed with in so many ways.
Doc was known to always have the ‘joke of the day’ for his friends. Since he was a young child he loved to make people laugh. Doc said many times how laughter made people not only feel good but also made him feel good to get them to laugh. He was a stand up comedian for years and then developed his own game show similar to ‘Lets make a deal’, which led to shows around the southeast and then led to his own television show. Over a decade ago his hobby (and he said passion) became playing poker -Texas Hold-Em- with the Tennessee Poker league in Johnson City. He made some great friends there and ended up with him actually playing twice in the World Series of Poker.
For those who wish memorials may be made to the Washington County Volunteer Rescue Services, PO Box 783, Johnson City, TN 37605.
The family will receive friends on Tuesday, April 23, 2013 from 1:00 pm until time of service at 3:00 pm at Morris Baker Funeral Home in the South Chapel under the direction of Chaplain Matthew Barber and Rev. Mike Woodward.
Pallbearers will be the Honor Guard and members of Washington County/Johnson City Emergency Medical Services.
“I hope you had the time of your life.”
Memories and condolences may be shared with the Jones family through www.morrisbaker.com.
Morris-Baker Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 2001 E. Oakland Avenue, Johnson City, TN 37601. (423) 282-1521
