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This is my favorite Display Of Christmas 
Jon's Memory Tree ~ 2013 This was composed due to the death of our son last year due to a massive heart attack brought on by a runners heart . It will be a part of our home for as long as we live and added to each year with ornaments that pertain to likes of Jon's Interest. This story is reaching out to others who are grieving and giving them a way to stay attached to their Loved one they have lost. For those who may not have heard our son , Jon Coleman, passed away on July 25,2013 of a Massive Heart Attack at the age of 44.Since he appeared to be in perfect health it was quite a shock to Family and Friends. We would like to share a few Memories with you of Jon's Life God impressed me to turn our Sadness this Christmas into Joy as we decorated a tree in memory of the good times with Jon! We started with a small Nativity that reminded us that he had accepted Jesus as His Savior, therefore we knew where he was. Then came the Dove of Peace carrying a Heart to remind us how Peaceful his death was. There are pictures or ornaments telling his story. One picture showed him as a young child all dressed up ,he liked to do that, and then when he first got glasses in Kindergarten, the Dr used him as a model to advertise in the paper. He was active in baseball, basketball and track throughout his school days. In High School as a Senior he was the Oak Grove School Mascot, ( Beetos) . Also, he was crowned as the Prom King that year. After Graduation he worked as he was preparing for College at U.M.K.C. He had several interest but finally graduated with two Masters that would help him on the road to Law. He continued with school for several more years while working as a Paralegal for a local firm. Several pictures are about his family of Whippet Dogs. First he got Leumas (his middle name spelled backwards) while we were gone to Louisiana for his Dad to continue to work for General Motors. After coming back, Jon and Leumas moved back with us. When he moved into his own apartment he found a (Weimaraner ) dog for his Dad as he had become so close to Leumas. Her name was Maggie and she became Jim's female companion. Jon then pursued getting a companion for Leumas which was a Female Whippet named Iris. She was a runner like Jon and he had a lot of fun entering her in competition. After Leumas passed away Jon proceeded to find a companion for Iris. He traveled to Indiana to find one of the same litter and chose a boy and named him (Wrigley) after his favorite place,Wrigley Field, in his favorite city,Chicago! He had a love for his dogs and they were considered Family. He celebrated each one's Birthday with a party. Iris and Jon did a lot of competing as they ran and both have several medals on the tree. Jon did several Marathons but Hospital Hill was one of his favorites. Jon loved Christmas and one of his favorite things to do was to go shopping on Christmas Eve after work and bring the gifts home for me to wrap. He loved to torment me. His role on Christmas Day was to play Santa . Jon may have made the very first Pan Size Cookie. He called me at work to find out how to make cookies as he was bored. I didn't expect to find it all in a pizza pan but it was quite good. He liked to cook and introduced his Dad to watching ( Emeril ) in 2000. Oh what a mistake in some ways. I could never cook to suit them after that. Jon loved his work and applied for an IT Position at the Law Firm. He got it and trained to move up to an It Director. He did quite a bit of traveling for work as well as he and his dogs traveled together. If the dogs had to be left it was usually with Mom and Dad. He always had a passion for Biking. He and his brother Jeff rode with groups on the week-ends, sometimes 25 - 50 miles .That was the last thing he did before leaving this earth, was to go Bike Riding before going to bed. Jon did a lot of living in his almost 45 years. He had a very outgoing and giving personality. He had many friends and was very well thought of. We have been so Comforted by knowing how much he was loved and respected. Jon left us with his Family of Dogs, Iris and Wrigley. They have made this transition much easier as we feel his love coming from them in our home. Jon also left two brothers, Jim and Jeff along with their families. They have been very helpful in helping take care of the the Legal and Moving Responsibilities. “We Thank God for his life and we will turn to this Memory Tree many times for our Memories to be refreshed and add to it as we think of other events.” Christmas 2014: Here it is Christmas 2o14 and I turn to Jon's Memory Tree again as I reflect on things that have transpired this year to bring our minds back to what Jon and what he would have enjoyed. One of the first events was to make people aware of what took his life and to reach out for ways they could help to bring awareness. Therefore I put together a large Poster of him and his Dogs to reach out during the “Go Red for Heart Event” in February to raise funds for the Heart Association The spring was busy moving all of his Personal Belongings into our house and the homes of his brothers. That is what we thought he would have wanted. In August we Celebrated the Birthday of his oldest dog Iris with a party. We always did this for their Birthdays Jon woud have been very proud of all of the effort to honor our beloved Coach Pirch with Oak Grove Pulling for Pirch . He too used that famous Hand Shake as he met Clients across the Nation in his work as IT Director of the Law Firm. A huge eventsis of course was our Journey to the World Series with our own ' KC Royals '. Jon would have loved this as he had such a good time with them when they won in 1986 !! He was so proud to get to drive to the parade and be a part of the Celebration. It made our being a part of this Journey all the more meaningfull I've added some things to his tree such as a pendent that says that we 'Love Him to the Moon and Back', Two Ornaments-one a Remembrance Ornament and a Christmas Ornament with His Name to join in a new tradition that Dad and I started this year with all of the family members having an annual ornament from us to hang on their tree as long as we live and hope they will continue for their Families. I've added an ornament for his beloved 'Chicago Bears', even though they didn't have a Winning Team this year, Jon loved them any way! And, The 'Missouri Tigers,' going to The 'SEC Championship' for the second year and on to a Bowl Game. Not to forget his own Alma Mater, 'The Oak Grove Panthers' walking off with 'The State Championship' for the First time ever!!! One of the Biggies is I know he is enjoying the fun both of his doggies are having in our back yard! I'll be back with an update next year, Lord Willing! 
Since we live in an apartment with no fireplace, I made one using paper and boxes for my son. He took it one step further and added some fake candles hidden in the logs. With a little bit of hot glue and magic, Santa will have his very own VIP entrance to our home! 
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