|
|
When people remember Jon Just, they can’t help but mention his contagious energy and radiant smile. If you knew Jon well, you knew what it meant to laugh. Jon was full of humor, random jokes, and a fierce love for God and his adored wife, Melissa. He was willing to go the extra mile for the students he mentored, for his family, and for his friends. Jon was passionate about connecting with people. Jon’s faith was his life and it defined who he became as a person.
Jonathan William Just was born May 29, 1981 in Waconia to his parents, David and Cindy. He was the second of three boys, Ben (Jessica) is the oldest and Nathan (Jessi) is the youngest. He attended Chaska District 112 schools. Jon loved his pivotal time at Chaska High School, and he poured his abilities into DECA, POWZA, Dads Make a Difference, soccer (captain, senior year), football (kicker, senior year), intramurals, and Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), where he was a key member. Jon loved motorcycles, mopeds (basically anything with a motor!), hunting, fishing, working on the grounds crew at Hazeltine National, and “hanging” with friends. His new favorite phrase became "JUST get 'er done" - he loved drawing attention to his last name whether in an email or the middle of a sermon!! (ex. "The JUST shall live by faith" - you get the idea!)
After graduation in 2000, Jon attended the University of St. Thomas and studied Commercial Real Estate. It was during his time at UST that Jon took the steps to make his faith his own – he realized that his faith could be lived out as a natural extension of his exuberant personality – he didn’t need to become dull and boring to be a Christian! He immersed himself at The River Church at Mall of America where he served as a youth group leader – a perfect outlet for his high energy level!!
After graduating from St. Thomas in 2004, Jon went to work for United Properties in Bloomington as a property manager after having served as their intern for 18 months. – he was on his way to being very successful in his career goals even at a young age.
Each summer since Jon was six weeks old; his family attended Northern Pines Family Bible Camp in Lake Geneva, WI. He treasured the summer weeks that he spent at the camp. During Jon’s “questioning” years, it was Northern Pines along with FCA and the many godly mentors God placed in his life (it definitely took a village!) that kept pulling him back to God. It was a call that came from deep within, anchored on the love God had for Jon. It was a call that found its roots in the will of God and his parents' prayers. Jon was discovering that when he gave himself to Jesus, it was the best thing in life. It was at Northern Pines that he met Melissa Erbach when they were children and years later, they got engaged while serving as Junior High Counselors in 2003. They were married January 3, 2004 at Excelsior Covenant Church in a ceremony that featured music to rival a rock concert and a Harley Davidson motorcycle – they worshiped their Jesus together and created a marriage covenant that would last until death.
It was on September 29, 2004 while on his R6 Yamaha, enroute from the job he loved at United Properties, to meet the love of his life, Melissa, to work together with the youth they loved at River Church, that Jon died as a result of a motorcycle accident.
You see, Jon had totally figured it out – it wasn’t that he was perfect, it’s just that he had come to know that Jesus was the most important thing and he would give himself at work and at play and at home to following Jesus. Each year since Jon’s death, Jon’s family has hosted the Jon “Just Get Er Done” Memorial Motorcycle Ride with the proceeds going to purchase motorcycles that provide transportation for indigenous pastors. So far, 554 motorcycles have been presented to pastors in Africa!! The prayer of the Just family has been that Jon’s life and legacy will continue to have an eternal impact – and God is graciously answering that prayer in a way that they never could have imagined! Please join Jon's family the end of each September for the motorcycle ride and/or dinner as they "JUST get 'er done" for Jesus and celebrate Jon's life while raising funds for two of the passions of Jon's heart - motorcycles and Jesus!!!
Jonathan William Just was born May 29, 1981 in Waconia to his parents, David and Cindy. He was the second of three boys, Ben (Jessica) is the oldest and Nathan (Jessi) is the youngest. He attended Chaska District 112 schools. Jon loved his pivotal time at Chaska High School, and he poured his abilities into DECA, POWZA, Dads Make a Difference, soccer (captain, senior year), football (kicker, senior year), intramurals, and Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), where he was a key member. Jon loved motorcycles, mopeds (basically anything with a motor!), hunting, fishing, working on the grounds crew at Hazeltine National, and “hanging” with friends. His new favorite phrase became "JUST get 'er done" - he loved drawing attention to his last name whether in an email or the middle of a sermon!! (ex. "The JUST shall live by faith" - you get the idea!)
After graduation in 2000, Jon attended the University of St. Thomas and studied Commercial Real Estate. It was during his time at UST that Jon took the steps to make his faith his own – he realized that his faith could be lived out as a natural extension of his exuberant personality – he didn’t need to become dull and boring to be a Christian! He immersed himself at The River Church at Mall of America where he served as a youth group leader – a perfect outlet for his high energy level!!
After graduating from St. Thomas in 2004, Jon went to work for United Properties in Bloomington as a property manager after having served as their intern for 18 months. – he was on his way to being very successful in his career goals even at a young age.
Each summer since Jon was six weeks old; his family attended Northern Pines Family Bible Camp in Lake Geneva, WI. He treasured the summer weeks that he spent at the camp. During Jon’s “questioning” years, it was Northern Pines along with FCA and the many godly mentors God placed in his life (it definitely took a village!) that kept pulling him back to God. It was a call that came from deep within, anchored on the love God had for Jon. It was a call that found its roots in the will of God and his parents' prayers. Jon was discovering that when he gave himself to Jesus, it was the best thing in life. It was at Northern Pines that he met Melissa Erbach when they were children and years later, they got engaged while serving as Junior High Counselors in 2003. They were married January 3, 2004 at Excelsior Covenant Church in a ceremony that featured music to rival a rock concert and a Harley Davidson motorcycle – they worshiped their Jesus together and created a marriage covenant that would last until death.
It was on September 29, 2004 while on his R6 Yamaha, enroute from the job he loved at United Properties, to meet the love of his life, Melissa, to work together with the youth they loved at River Church, that Jon died as a result of a motorcycle accident.
You see, Jon had totally figured it out – it wasn’t that he was perfect, it’s just that he had come to know that Jesus was the most important thing and he would give himself at work and at play and at home to following Jesus. Each year since Jon’s death, Jon’s family has hosted the Jon “Just Get Er Done” Memorial Motorcycle Ride with the proceeds going to purchase motorcycles that provide transportation for indigenous pastors. So far, 554 motorcycles have been presented to pastors in Africa!! The prayer of the Just family has been that Jon’s life and legacy will continue to have an eternal impact – and God is graciously answering that prayer in a way that they never could have imagined! Please join Jon's family the end of each September for the motorcycle ride and/or dinner as they "JUST get 'er done" for Jesus and celebrate Jon's life while raising funds for two of the passions of Jon's heart - motorcycles and Jesus!!!