As the coaster approached the 310-foot hilltop, every rider felt their hearts beating faster with anticipation. Suddenly the Millenium Force dove down at 93 MPH with nothing but the wind and laughing children heard in that section of the park. As people in line look up in jealousy, they see a sea of screaming, happy teens and one white haired man fly by. Alan Jones always found the time for riding coasters and living life doing what he loved. He embraced his inner child and followed his passions in his retirement.
Alan was born in Lawrence, MA on September 30, 1950, the third son of Florence and Francis Jones. Some of his happiest childhood memories were the fun summers spent at their camp on Big Island Pond fishing, swimming, and playing with friends. As a child who loved competition, he always loved sports. In 1967 his softball team came in first place, and he still proudly displays the trophy.
As he grew, Al's excitement for life stemmed from his need for speed. Scaring his dates while driving on curvy roads without street lights was his new thrill. In 1972 he graduated from Lowell Tech with a Bachelor's in Engineering and received a job in Dover, NH, however, his love for going fast never faltered, and he soon expanded his social activities to include car racing. He drove alcohol dragsters with famous drivers such as Eddy Hill and Kenny Bernstein. He even won his category at the New England Dragway (another trophy that he proudly displays.)
During this stage of his life, Al decided to take a chance and date a girl from his childhood who lived across the street. After years of tormenting the neighborhood babysitter, Al experienced a change of heart and, with some convincing from his brother, went out with Dottie Goss. They had a double-date on New Year's Eve with his brother Paul at The Rendezvous. After a fabulous night of dancing and dinner, the two decided to continue the romance (a chance on Dottie's part after seeing the fashion sense of Al-polka dots and plaid together, what a combo!) Soon she had won his heart and the two lovebirds were inseparable. Five months later they were engaged, and in November of 1976 they were married. They moved to New York and embarked on a new journey with a new job with Mobil Oil, a new house, and a new wife. Soon Al had a busy home with two baby girls and a puppy. He also made sure that there was always time for fun, and he and Dottie joined volleyball and bowling leagues, both of which they excelled in. His job quickly took off in the recycling division when Al's team designed a quality control component and won the LRFD Award. Management was impressed and he was offered a promotion in Washington, DC.
After two years of meeting amazing people but battling traffic in our nation's capital, another move was in the family's future. In Texas, Al became Mobil's quality control manager and traveled across the world. He would always bring keepsakes home from Japan, Argentina, England, Scotland, Canada, New Foundland, and Indonesia. His favorite story from traveling abroad was a trip to Japan. As he was departing a train, two women asked if they could pray over him and his friend because they had never seen a blonde-haired, blue-eyed man so happy before.
After many years of repressing his New England heritage, the family moved even farther into the south by living in Arkansas. Here, Al exceled as a purchasing manager and traveled to other facilities to help and train Alcoa employees. Other countries such as Germany and Austria with plants asked for him to help improve productivity by coming over and staying for a few weeks.
Just a few years later the family moved again to Pennsylvania. Yet again, Al furthered his career and went to China to train others in increasing the manufacturing and quality control aspects of the company. Though he enjoyed his profession, after so many years in the workforce Al decided to take some time for himself. With finances in perfect order and no other worries, Al retired at 55. His new emphasis in life was US travel, visiting family, and the stock market. Jim Kramer would have been proud to meet such a worthy protg. Whenever someone called or stopped by the house, the investing channel could be heard.
After about two years of playing money manager and suffering through many years of freezing weather, he and Dottie felt the tropical climate of Florida calling loudly. With both daughters living in the same city, the location was an easy choice. After a simple and quick move, Al fell into a stress-free rhythm of beach time, working out at the gym, racing cars at Andretti's, watching NHRA races in Gainesville, going to sports bars to cheering on the Pats, and visiting amusement parks. To keep his mind alert, he continued following the tickertape on MSNBC. He invested wisely and was able to pass on many knowledgeable tips for managing finances.
As the housing market settled to all-time lows, Al and Dottie found a perfect home to spend the rest of their lives in. Al's social calendar was filled with trips to the grocery stores, banks, and pharmacies. Al, the family's Coupon King, found a new hobby by saving money at every opportunity and made many new friends at places like Walmart and his pharmacy.
After a few months in his new house, Al felt something off with his body. With many tests and doctors checking every aspect, it was found that cancer was growing in his pancreas. This fast-working fatal form of the disease took Al quickly amidst numerous friends and family members supporting him.
Throughout his life, Al always put his family first in any decision. When a new job opportunity arose, he immediately thought if the change would improve their homelife. Despite stressful work environments, Al set aside time to vacation with his family and bring them around the United States and other countries like Mexico, Cayman Islands, and Canada. He even implemented mandatory once-a-week calls home while his daughters were in college. Being close to family was his primary concern.
Besides being a family-man, Al also was known for his ambition. If he played sports, he wanted to win. If he received a promotion, he wanted to set the new standard for the position. No task was insurmountable, and he also expected others to think that way. He pushed them for their best and tested their determination. If he thought you knew the answer to the question, Al would poke you until you told him. This ambition was aided by his natural leadership abilities. Coworkers (even those above him), friends, and family members all think of him as a decision-maker to help lead them to the correct choice. Al wanted to make sure he was a good role-model, not just for his children, but for anyone. He loved taking other children or younger employees under his wing to help guide them. He had advise for everyone (whether you asked or not), and usually it was very sound in judgement.
Al was a logical man and constantly looked for more knowledge. He had a basic working knowledge of the stock market, but when he retired, he decided to look further into this part of the industry that drove our economy. Al would research and dive into a company just to figure out why its stock went up by three points. He always encouraged others to increase their knowledge of anything, and said it was never too late to learn.
All these characteristics and so much more made up this one-of-a-kind man. Alan Jones will truly be missed by his widow Dottie and children Jennifer and Pamela. For those lucky enough to have been touch by him, the family extends to you an invitation to celebrate his life and remember him. The family will be sharing memories with slideshows, pictures, and music from 11-noon on February 4, 2013 at the Davis Seawinds Funeral Home at 560 Montreal Avenue, Melbourne 32935. The funeral service is from noon until 1 p.m. at the same location. Afterwards, the family graciously invites you to continue the celebrating of Al's life at the Jones' home at 658 Altona Steet SW in Palm Bay. If you would like to send flowers, please make them potted plants. The family is creating a garden in remembrance of Al at their house, a project they had just started when he was diagnosed. Thank you again for all your thoughts and prayers, the family hopes to see you on Monday.