JJ's Page

In Loving Memory of
William James "JJ" Wade, Jr.
September 22, 1972 - January 26, 2004

My Brother and I

My brother and I had a love-hate relationship,
We loved each other one day and hated each other the next.
But we ALWAYS knew that one loved the other.
So many memories running thru my head, where do I begin?

JJ taught me how to drive when I was little,
I mastered mine as I got older.....
And he just mastered how to get out of the ditch before the law got there.
He taught me to ride a motorcycle when we were young....
And our children loved taking turns riding on his Harley.

There are so many times I can remember JJ calling...
A lot of the same people here today and telling them he loved them.
Or he’d say "this is JJ Wade, you wanna party or not?
Get a twelve pack I’m on the way."

Anyone who ever met JJ will never forget him.
He left a lasting impression with everyone.
Many of us have seen JJ in "rare form".....
And we have seen him before "rare form" began.

We all have our memories of JJ and he is happy,
To see that we are here to pay our respects to him.
He would want us to remember him the way he was;
"JJ Wade".... the one that we all loved and the one that loved all of us.

The above is a condensed version of the eulogy Michele wrote and read at JJ's funeral...

JJ and Michele in front of Marilyn Monroe window display in Hollywood CA.

This is a beautiful gift to Angel JJ from my dear friend Carol, mom to Angel Michael.

JJ and Mom in Hollywood, CA.

JJ at about 10 months old.
~ JJ Wade ~

My loving son was born on September 22, 1972 at 1:45 am. JJ was the first grandchild on my side. He was called "JJ" from the time he was born.

JJ getting his first haircut.

JJ was lovingly spoiled, as an only child, for four years before his sister, Michele, was born on December 31, 1976. JJ was a very protective brother when his little sister was born. During their childhood, JJ and Michele had their share of disagreements but were very close siblings. When my husband and I separated in 1986, then divorced in 1987, JJ lived with his father, in North Carolina, and Michele lived with me in Virginia. Since we lived approximately an hour apart, JJ and Michele spent plenty of time together
during the rest of their childhood.

JJ married in 1991, which gave him a lovely stepdaughter, Nicole--three years old. His oldest son Brandon Scott Wade was born the following year on Valentine’s Day (February 14, 1992). The marriage was on shaky grounds but a second son, William James Wade, III was born on March 22, 1993. The marriage ended in a separation in 1995, there was one brief attempt at reconciliation, which failed, in late 2002. The nine year separation ended
with JJ’s death on January 26, 2004.

JJ was a loving son, brother, and Dad. He enjoyed life to the fullest. He loved life and everything, well almost everything, in it. JJ loved his Harley Davidson motorcycle, fishing, and walking the newly plowed fields searching for arrowheads. He would take his sons early morning or early evening and walk the fields searching for the perfect arrowhead. They had accumulated a large collection of arrowheads. He was a single father, raising his two sons, Brandon and Jamie they were the light of his life. JJ had custody of his sons at the time of his death and all three lived with his stepfather and I. Unfortunately, JJ choose to take some unwise paths during some of his adult years but the love for his children was unwavering. After his death, I filed for and was awarded custody of Brandon and Jamie. They need the continuity of care and some structure in their young innocent lives. They, along with the rest of the family, were devastated
with the death of their beloved father.

JJ and Jamie at Kings Dominion.

At the hospital, where Brandon and Jamie are, Jamie was going to sing a song in a talent show...."Here Without You" by Three Doors Down....this was a song Michele picked out for JJ's funeral service. Can we put this song on JJ's page? Jamie practiced and practiced to get the song just right and then due to misbehaving, he was not allowed to participate in the show....it would mean a lot to Jamie to have this song "Dedicated to Dad from Jamie"

Here's a scanned copy of Jamie's card for his Dad's birthday.

JJ, Brandon, and Jamie.

This poem below was written by Brandon Scott Wade, JJ's oldest son. Brandon is thirteen years old and really struggling with his father's death. I asked him if this would be okay
to include on his Dad's web page and he agreed.

You

If you were here,
I would hug you
And I would kiss you...

But you are not,
I love you
And I miss you.

If you were here,
We would play
And we would run...

But you are not,
We cannot laugh
And have lots of fun.

If you were here,
We could spend
Lots of time together...

But you are not,
And I wish I could
Fly up to heaven on a feather.

JJ in Dale Earnhardt's race car at Charlotte NC racetrack.

Sunday afternoon, January 25, 2004, we started getting a heavy snow. I was called in to work 3-11 as well as my 11-7 shift because we were supposed to get a lot of snow. JJ woke me up at about noon and told me "the boys and I are going to get gas and ride around in the snow. We will see you later." When I arrived at work, Tommy my husband, called to let me know JJ and the boys had slipped in the ditch a couple of times. I asked Tommy to call around to family and friends to see where they were and make sure they were ok. JJ’s girlfriend called my husband back to tell us not to worry "JJ and the boys were okay, they were spending the night at a friends house, he would see us tomorrow, and if we needed him for anything to contact her."
So I had peace of mind that they were okay.

The next morning, I did not leave the hospital, where I worked, until about 8 am. While I was driving slowly home, due to the snow, Tommy called and told me to hurry home but did not tell me the reason. Then about 15 minutes later, Michele called me, and told me to pick up Tommy at the end of the road and she still did not want to tell me why. Finally after I asked her again, she said "Mama...you can’t handle it" and after assuring her that I could, she told me " JJ is at Craig’s house and he is dead." Michele, even though all the grief she was struggling with, called all of his family and friends and asked them to bring a photo for a scrapbook she was making of JJ’s life. Michele helped me tremendously with JJ's death. She helped pick out the clothes she thought he would like to have on, she selected the pallbearers, and she completed the scrapbook of his life after loved ones brought pictures to the services. Mother's Day 2004 was hard but Michele was here with me so that helped. I could not imagine, that less than two weeks later
she would be killed instantly in a car accident on May 20th.

Michele wrote and gave the following eulogy at JJ’s funeral:

You know, everyone told me that I didn’t have to do this, I wish it wasn’t even an issue. Unfortunately, it is and I think JJ would have wanted me to say something about him and the great times we had. JJ and I had a love-hate relationship, we loved each other one day and hated each other the next. But each of us ALWAYS knew that one loved the other. There are so many memories running thru my head, I don’t know where to start. JJ taught me how to drive when I was little, I just mastered mine as I got older and he just mastered how to get out of the ditch before the law got there. JJ’s the one that taught me how to ride a motorcycle when we were young. We enjoyed riding motorcycles, and everyone knows how much he loved that Harley. There are so many times I can remember JJ getting drunk and calling a lot of the same people here today and telling them he loved them. Or he’d say "this is JJ Wade, you wanna party or not; get a twelve smack I’m on the way." Anyone who ever met JJ will never forget him. He was the type of guy that left a lasting impression on everyone. Almost all of us have seen JJ in "rare form" and we have seen him before "rare form" began. I know that we all have our memories of JJ and that he is happy to see that we have put our differences aside to be here for him, to pay our respects. We will possibly never know what exactly happened to JJ, but I know he would want us to remember him the way he was; JJ Wade, the one that we all loved and the one that loved all of us. So when you leave here today and go home and you start to think about JJ, if you drink, drink one for him! He’d have wanted it that way. By the way Jake, Daddy said "where ya at?!"

Celebration of Life Announcement

Two Angels' Arms Scholarships were established at Paul D. Camp Community College, which will be awarded yearly for the fall semester. Tax-deductible donations to support these scholarships (one each....in honor and memory of Michele Wade and J.J. Wade) can be made payable to Paul D. Camp Community College and mailed to Dr. Patsy Joyner, PDCCC, P.O. Box 737, Franklin, VA 23851.

Dr. Patsy R. Joyner, Vice President for Institutional Advancement
Paul D. Camp Community College
100 North College Drive Franklin, VA 23851
757-569-6791 FAX: 757-569-6795
pjoyner@pc.vccs.edu

Releasing balloons on JJ's birthday September 22, 2005

On the left, Brandon November 2005, and on the right, Jamie November 2005.

This is a wonderful gift for JJ's birthday from my dear friend, Susie, mom to Angel Jason.

A small gift for Angel J.J.
GEOFFREY P. EDWARDS

In Memory of J.J.
We Celebrate Your Life and Remember You With Love

For You JJ

May God Hold You In His Loving Arms
And May You Have Peace and Happiness In His Kingdom

~And can it be that in a world so full and busy,
the loss of one weak creature makes a void in any heart,
so wide and deep that nothing but
the width and depth of eternity can fill it up!
~Charles Dickens

Precious Child
Brandon Scott
I Read The Beautiful Poem You Wrote For Your Daddy
I Loved It So Much I Am Giving You A Special Award
Daddy is Living With God and You Will See Him Again
In The Meanwhile Always Hold on To the Hand of Jesus
Love From Laurasmom

Precious Child
Jamie
Keep Your Daddy In Your Heart Forever
And Remember How Much He Loved You
You Will See Your Daddy Again One Day Little Guy
May Your Guardian Angel Protect You Always Until
You Are with Your Daddy Again
Love
Laurasmom

A friend can hear a tear drop.

Please visit Maria's Tribute to Christopher Angel Christopher Two Very Special Angels

Jesus Wept

Andrew... Our Miracle, Our Angel

Remember JJ Always
09-22-72 ~ 01-26-04

J.J was a legend, he did love life, he definitely knew how to live his to the fullest. A strong handsome man on a Harley Davidson. Brandon and Jamie, you must be very proud of him, don't ever stop that, he is still with you, just in a far away land with his Harley. He smiles down on you, laughs with you, even gives you a wave of the hand once in a while. Look up guy's and open your Heart, one of those stars belong's to him, it is his window, he does see you, give him a wave and a smile back.
My Deepest Love
Sue-Anne~~~Lee'sMom

Dear Diane, Brandon, Jamie and ANGEL JJ

Where my ANGEL And our Dad now lives
Is Heaven
One of the stars up above
Belongs to my Son and Dad
To see him We have to look up
We can't see you
No you won't see me Like you use to
But I am there
I see you Mom and you guys
Everyone
If you feel you want to
Talk to me, just look up At that star, I am there
I am not too far away
I will blow kisses to you
I will protect you all
FOREVER I PROMISE
SEE YOU SOON
YOUR SON AND DAD
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANGEL JJ AND DAD

Written By Sue-Anne Aguilera Lee'sMom
MY LOVE TO YOU ALL

In Loving Memory of Lee Henry Aguilera

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Page Transferred from GeoCities to Tripod on 05/29/09 by Robbie's Mom