A Photographic Remembrance Of Brian "Yo" Jones

One of Yo's last "surprise" visits to a friend... 

Ed Button (IHS-1961) Remembers: "The picture was taken on or about 25 August 2020, two weeks before Brian died.  We were in my living room when Yo paid me an unexpected visit.  By luck, I had the Ilion "T-shirt" on that he presented to me in 2015 when I was in the nursing home.  I was shocked when I learned he had passed away."

Bill "Yavor" Yavoritzki's (IHS-1961) tribute to his lifelong buddy Brian "Yo" Jones appropriately and succinctly states our collective feelings on hearing of Yo's untimely passing.

Yavor writes...

"Relationships, experiences, and memories of our childhood years as well as our so-called "Golden Years” come to mind as I recall a wonderful legacy of this gentle soul. Brian touched the lives of many with his wit, determination, love of sports, our community, our country, and his many friends and cherished family. Knowing Brian remains a 'fun' experience from our North Street School days to our "Golden Bomber" Ilion High School days. Rest in peace knowing that you will always be loved by your family and the many, many friendships that you made."

Ilion Elementary School "The North Street School" where Brian (left) and Bill "Yavor" Yavornitzki are actors in a 3rd-grade play. 

A May 1955 image of Mrs. Baldwin's Sixth Grade Class at North Street School, Ilion, NY.  Most of these "kids" made it through Elementary, Junior High, and Senior High School with Brian.

"Yo" and "Yavor" in their mid-to-late teens for some fun and "Happy Days" in a Sylvan Beach Amusement Park photo booth.

Photo Collage - High School Junior and Senior Years

Yo and his young sons are all smiles in this fine camera shot (believed to be sons Ryan and George).  

Bill "Yavor" Yavornitzki tells us one of these images was shot when he was disabled with a broken foot.  Unable to drive, Yo makes a visit to take Yavor shopping for necessary consumable supplies. A characteristic kindness all Yo's friends will fondly recall.

 

 

Remembering the strongly talented high school and college champion wrestler Brian "Yo" Jones.  Images are copied from the IHS 1960 Yearbook "The Mirror" - the 1961 FSHS Yearbook "Maroon Log" - and the 1965 SUNY Oswego "Ontarian" Yearbook. 

Ilion High School 1959/1960 Wrestling Team, "Yo" is standing on the far right side, brother "PeeWee" is standing on the far left side.  In 1959/1960, the skilled Jones Brothers were both Section III Wrestling Champions in their respective weight classes.

1961 Frankfort-Schuyler High School Senior Class Wrestlers.  Yo is kneeling on the left.  Copied from FSHS Yearbook "Maroon Log"

Copied from the 1965 SUNY Oswego Yearbook "Ontarian."  Brian "Yo" Jones is kneeling on the far left side.  Yo is the 1964 SUNY Oswego  Wrestling SUNYAC and ECWC Individual Champion (123-lb weight class) and the 1965 Wrestling SUNYAC and ECWC Individual Champion (137-lb weight class). 

  

Brian's Patented "Hang Loose" Greeting and His Typical Infectious Smile (date: August 2016).

A Life Motto: Never forget a friend, keeping each association fresh through frequent and thoughtful visits with new friends, older friends, and very old friends.  The unexpected kind phone call or the caring surprise visit are recalled as Yo's deeply held trademark.  Several images follow reminding us of this charismatic truth.

Old friends and school chums Robert "Cork" Ortlieb, Brian "Yo" Jones, and Tony "Simi" Simonetti at Oneida Lake.

Ilion School Friends Brian "Yo", Marianne "Mo", Florence "Flo", and Tony "Toe" attending a couple of dated class reunions.

Lifelong friends Brian and John Moody perhaps in the late 1960s.

"Yo" and "Yavor" at one of the many gatherings with friends... hair color, tie, and collar design strongly suggest an early 1970s event.

SUNY Oswego wrestling team classmates Yo and Brian McGann visiting near the beach (dated 2016). 

And now the rest of the true story... a few tributes from Brian's friends as expressed a few days after his untimely passing on September 8, 2020. The remembrance compiler selected a couple of sentences from these 2020 sympathy expressions. To view/review Brian's complete obituary and sympathy writings see Ironside Funeral Home obituary/tribute wall,  click HERE.

"We have lost one of the most caring and loving friends we have ever know. Brian and I have been friends for over 70 years... from North Street School till now. Brian was a person who would always be there for anyone who needed anything, his friends who love him reside all over the country."  Marianne (Kurkowski) Feuerstein (IHS Class of 1961)

"Brian was one of the most genuine of men... a SUNY Oswego wrestling great, he was always kind and thoughtful. Brian was always at a friend’s side in times of need, without ever having been asked."  Bill and Ruth Wilson, SUNY Oswego classmates, 1966 & 1967

"Brian was a unique person who was a joy to all lucky enough to have known him. I graduated from Frankfort High School with him and we shared many of our most important times together, weddings, children's births, bad times, and loss of loved ones. Brian's excellent wrestling ability, the best I ever knew, proved a great incentive to many of the younger team members."  George “Jr” Grizzuto (FSHS Class of 1961)

"Yo phoned me maybe eight years past right out of the blue... we must have talked for two hours about younger year things, catching up on a near half-century past deeds. What a competent and capable communicator! The 1960 IHS Bomber Wrestlers hold fond memories of Yo's athletic accomplishments and remain strongly proud to have known a genuine New York State Section Three Wrestling Champion." Dave Paul (IHS Class of 1961)

"Brian touched the lives of many with his wit, determination, love of sports, our community, country, and his many friends and cherished family. Knowing Brian has been a lifelong "fun" experience."  Bill Yavornitzki (IHS Class of 1961)

"Yo was a dear friend.  When you were with him, he always made you feel that you were the most important person of the moment. Yo is known to show up unannounced in wide and varied U.S. locations. We are all blessed to have been part of the life of a truly wonderful person.  FSHS Wrestling Coach Campo is waiting in Heaven to give Yo a few more disciplinary laps, thinking Yo could have won wrestling matches by more than one point." WHAT A REUNION!"  Mickey Manore (FSHS Class of 1961)

"Brian was a very special caring guy who spread so much kindness, love, and laughter to so many people whose life’s he touched. Brian took much joy in “surprising” friends with a visit. He was the “glue” in many long-time friendships and will be missed by so many special friends that he always made an effort to reach out to."  Jeanne & Mike Morris (IHS Class of 1961)

"Brian and I met through wrestling and we had an instant connection.  He was my Best Man at my wedding on 5/3/1969. We both got drafted in 1966, and later met up at Ft Dix and Ft Monmouth in New Jersey. He was the most loyal and caring man I ever met... a  friend for 55 years... we have lost a good one. RIP Yo, Joe Brian Jones."  John Shiel (SUNY Oswego)

A Compiler's Note: A family tree for "Yo" is created at Ancestry.com -- Joseph Brian "Yo" Jones Family Tree -- the new tree takes Yo's lineage back to his great-grandparents.  Ancestry.com subscribers might want to view Yo's family tree and contribute other known information. Jones Family memorial profiles have also been created at FindAGrave.com where Yo and most of his family had no remembrances created (to view click HERE ).  The images collected here are mainly sourced from public domain Internet-based research and the private collection of contributors. Many public images are found involving Yo's activities, but a careful look finds Yo not present in many published photos.  Yo's friends will recognize the obvious reason... "Yo" shot many of the available images and he personally published them (a fact we shall all certainly miss).  Also noted the Facebook group "Ilion High School Class of 1961" has essentially been dominant for the last year.  Maintaining this Facebook group with fresh material was another of Yo's special attention activities.  No case can be immediately recalled where Yo was not in possession of a favorite camera... shooting photos that he typically quickly published. Many thanks for YO's caring image documentation.