Warren had emailed me for years--"Only 20 Days til Christmas! Hope you are fine."  For 16 years the emails came at anytime during the year..."247 Days til Christmas! I'm living in South Carolina now."  or  "Only 183 Days til Christmas!  I'm thinking about you."

Warren loved Christmas and he kept all his friends apprised of its approach--even when it had just passed.  He worked with me in our Reservation's department at the Inns of Monterey during the early '90s.  He was one of the gentlest warmest people I have ever known and he was on my list of friends I
wanted to visit when I reached the east coast.

Sometimes I would give him a call and leave a message. A day or two later I would have a message from him but we kept missing each other.  I would drop the calls until I got another email--"2 days left til Christmas--Have a wonderful day!"  Then I'd email him back with a 'Happy New Year!'

 I have almost reached South Carolina but too late.  I got the message that Warren had died from complications due to diabetes.  I am so sorry--devastated really.  He touched my life in such a lovely and simple way and I never had a chance to tell him that.  I will never hear a Christmas carol in October, see a pre-Christmas ad in July, or experience another holiday season that I won't think of Warren Jones.  "It's only 20 days til Christmas, Warren, and I'm thinking of you."
(photos are by my sister, Mary Lindenmuth)