Steve Jones lived from Oct. 13, 1950, until Sept. 22, 2024, when, after a hard-fought battle with cancer, he passed in the same bed where he brought 11 souls and his biggest admirers into this world.
Steve was larger than life, and showed it by living life the way he chose. He accomplished many great feats here, among them crossing the country East to West, and West to East, many times on his bicycle. He even did a North-to-South (Alaska to Mexico) bike trip once. He made an earnest attempt to sail from San Diego to Hawaii in a rowboat with a small sail. He rode his bike thousands of miles, even while afflicted with prostate cancer. He thought it was just saddle sores.
His stamina and perseverance made him never quit. The only thing he ever quit was drinking. With more than 50 years of sobriety, he was an asset, mentor, and friend in the recovery community. He even managed to write a book of stories of his life during his last two years (bit.ly/Stephen_Jones_Life_Stories). He was kind and altruistic, and in his book, when answering “What is the most selfless thing you have ever done?” he thought for a few days, and recounted, “Back in 1974, I was in England, waiting for a train, when I noticed an elderly woman struggling with her bags. I helped her with her bags, and she was very grateful. It only took a minute, and I was on my way.” This small act of kindness extended through his life, as he helped many other women with their baggage; there is even an unconfirmed rumor that he once helped a man. He taught his six sons how to help with baggage, and he taught his five daughters to not pack lightly.
He will be greatly missed, and per his wishes, his ashes will be spread at a private family gathering on Chappaquiddick Island at an undetermined future date.
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