GLEN 'Jonesy' Jones was a well-known character around the Nambucca Valley, as the former police officer devoted countless hours to charity and supporting local sport. This week his wife of 24 years, Kelly, shared a few stories about her husband with the Guardian.
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"In 1990 Glen was transferred from the Regional Crime squad in Newcastle to Macksville as a detective. He started in the public service as an inspector's clerk in 1977, and worked his way up to join the police force in August of 1982," she said.
After arriving in Macksville all those years ago, the newcomer immediately began to make his mark on the area, and even all these years later his good deeds are remembered.
"Glen held police charity golf days to raise money for the surf club, police charity football matches; he was always helping others," Kelly said.
"He played football in Bourke, but by the time he moved to the area, his playing days were behind him, he still played in F troop for a while, it was funny, that was the lowest grade, mostly for a lot of the older boys who wanted to come back for one last hurrah."
Despite Glen's passion for police work, an unfortunate car accident saw him medically discharged from his job in 2000, and not one to sit idle, he found ways to keep busy in the community while also staying home with his two boys.
"His neck and back injuries were bad enough that he couldn't work anymore. Glen was so proud of being part of the police force; they were all one big family. Even after leaving, he still stuck up for the police; if he saw an officer in distress, Glen would be there to help, it was just the kind of person that he was," Kelly said.
"He kept busy in retirement. He coached cricket and junior rugby league, and was on the committee for both senior and junior rugby league. He was very involved in the community.
"They knew him well at the school, whenever there was a sporting event on, everyone knew Jonesy would be happy to drive."
Glen Jones passed away on May 24 from pancreatic cancer, aged 62, and as you'd expect for a man with such a high profile, hundreds of mourners turned up to pay their respects and farewell an important pillar of the community.
"I chose Coronation Park for the service, I knew there would be a lot of people coming, and we have never really been church-goers, so it seemed like the best choice," Kelly said.
"In lieu of flowers, we asked everyone to donate to Pancare, we have raised roughly $400 to help fight pancreatic cancer.
"Since the end of the service, we have been going through the attendance record, and so far we have counted at least 560 people, it could be more."
Throughout the service, those who knew Glen best shared their favourite stories about him, and true to his caring nature, Glen ensured that all the speakers had helpful notes to make their jobs easier, a task which his wife says he was famous for.
"Glen wrote down notes and helpful hints; he was very efficient and liked his paperwork, anybody who knew him would tell you he was pretty good at his paperwork," Kelly said.
"A good story about his younger days was when he lived at East Maitland Police Station, next to Maitland Gaol. He would climb the towers and read comics with the guards, and steal the tennis balls that inmates would hit into the yard.
"When Glen was growing up, his older brother used to come home with a loaf of bread and tomato sauce, and the two of them would demolish the whole loaf, his older brother was like a father figure."
It has been a tough few months for Kelly and her two boys, and they are incredibly grateful for the whole community standing with them during their darkest days.
"Thank you to everyone who donated and came to the service, and a big thank you to the valley, for the support, and for helping with cooking and everything else these last 18 months," she said.
Glen leaves behind wife Kelly, two sons and two older daughters from a previous marriage.
