Submitted by his mother
Randy was the light of my life as he was a wonderful brother and uncle. He would have been a wonderful dad had he got the chance. I don’t think he ever met a stranger. He died July 28‚ 2003 while responding to a fire call. He is missed dearly‚ but his memory will live on forever.
Randy was just 23 years old‚ but he made a great name for himself. He was always helping someone. He loved being in the fire department and rescue squad. All his extra time was either at the fire department or the rescue squad‚ instead of being out riding around or just hanging out like most teenagers. He did hang out with his friends‚ he just got a lot of them into either the fire department or rescue squad. I often wondered how he had time to do both departments and do them 100 percent. I guess when you loved it like Randy you just found the time and energy to do both.
He always said‚ Mom I want to be a fireman or a State Trooper. He would always like to watch the fire trucks with the lights on when they would pass by the house. He would go with his dad some when he was in the rescue squad in Virginia. He was in the process of trying to get into trooper school. I was always worried about him becoming a state trooper because of how things and people were and to be really careful. I know how dangerous it is to be a fireman‚ but never thought of him being taken away so young.
Randy joined the Rescue Squad Explorer Post at age 14. At the age of 17‚ he joined as a Senior Trainer and he was Squadsman of the year in 2000 and 2003. Randy was a Lieutenant with Cool Springs Fire Department and a Captain with the Iredell County Rescue Squad. He joined the Cool Springs Fire Department on May 26‚ 1997 as one of the first members of the Junior Firefighter Program. Jones had helped start the Cool Springs Medical Response Program and went to 90 % of the calls. He would sneak out of school to run rescue calls and Bill Sherrill had to call the principal. He has always loved helping people. He got the nickname ‘Rescue Randy’ because they said he was always trying to rescue everyone he could.
When the squad got its first defibrillators‚ ‘Jones was the first person that came into my mind to give one too’‚ said Bill Sherrill. They would get a call no matter what time of day or night and Jones would always be there‚ usually one of the first ones there.
On April 28‚ 1998 Wilson Security gave Randy a commendation for assisting with extinguishing a car on fire at North Iredell High School.
Randy was promoted to the position of Lieutenant in May 2002‚ He had joined the Rescue Squad at age 14‚ as a junior member‚ and had 8 years of service. He was one of the key members of Cool Springs Medical Response Program‚ and was a valuable member of both departments. They will both miss him a lot. Both departments were like family to him too. He always said he had 3 families.
An endowment fund for a scholarship in honoring Cool Springs firefighter Randy Neal Jones has been established‚ this is a good way to remember Randy. The Iredell County Rescue Squad has the Randy Jones Memorial Award which will be presented annually to individuals who go above and beyond the line of duty‚ the way Randy always did. The Squad also put Randy’s number 1117 on the new crash truck and a plaque remembering Randy is also on the truck. They said this way Randy will still be able to run calls with them.
Randy was always giving blood every time he could try to help someone. He was also a donor on his license. So even though we lost him‚ he still got to help two people that could not see‚ but now can thanks to his beautiful eyes that we donated for him. The guys at the fire department said that someone has the twinkle in there eyes now.
Randy was a member of Fallstown Baptist Church. Randy is survived by his mother Pat Pendleton of Statesville‚ father David Jones of Virginia. He also has an older sister Tiffany Jones of Statesville‚ a twin sister Brandy Jones of Statesville‚ and a younger brother Scott Jones of Statesville. He also has 2 nieces Courtney Jones and Jordan Jones of Statesville and a new nephew Riley Neal which he never got a chance to be a wonderful uncle to. He was named after Randy and we will be sure to fill him in on how great an uncle Randy was.
I remember Randy very well I was in the Rescue Squad and I was in Cool Springs Vol Fire Department with him and I was a few cars behind him before he had his accident. He will always be truly missed. I know that for a fact. God bless and prayer to his mom and twin sister.
– Paul "Ratboy" Blackwell Jr