By Jim Meridith
Posted: Updated:
6 Comments
  • Visitation

    Thursday, November 18, 2021

    4:00 to 8:00 pm, and

    Friday, November 19, 2021

    10:00 to 11:00 am

    Meridith Funeral Home, Pocahontas, IL.

  • Service

    Friday, November 19, 2021

    11:00 am

    Meridith Funeral Home, Pocahontas, IL.

  • Full Obituary

    Joshua A. Jones, 34, of Pocahontas, IL, lost his long battle to drug addiction on Friday, November 12, 2021, at the home he shared with his beloved girlfriend Allison Zbinden.

    He was born on December 27, 1986, to Sandra Goedecke and Ralph Jones.

    Joshua grew up in Pocahontas with his mom and his brother and best friend, Jesse Jones.  He ran around with the neighborhood kids, spent a lot of time with his grandma and reluctantly, played team sports.  Josh and his brother spent some weekends and time with their father, who struggled and later lost his life to mental illness and substance abuse.  Josh developed a love for classic horror cinematography in his youth, which carried into adulthood.

    He started working in the kitchen at Funderburks Grill and Deli at age 17, where the owners, Troy and Tracy, along with his co-workers, would become his extended family over the next 17 years.  He had also spent time working for Bass-Mollet Publishing Inc., after graduating from Greenville High School in 2005.

    Joshua married Molly Gaffner, and though they later divorced, they brought a beautiful child into this world together, Benjamin Jones.  He was also a large part in the upbringing of his step-daughter Cadence Perkins.  Benjamin and Josh shared an incredible, unconditional love for one another and enjoyed their time together immensely; whether they were gaming, skateboarding, playing basketball or enjoying their many pets together, they always wanted to be at one another’s side.  He wanted nothing more than to be a good father to his son, to keep their regular contact up and be someone his son could be proud of.  For the record, he did just that.

    He struggled to get himself out of a very low spot and was able to sustain sobriety for years before relapsing.  He battled anxiety and depression at the same time.  Despite what his social media would lead you to believe, anyone who knew Joshua would describe him as gentle, shy and kind.  It was his love for his son and his girlfriend, as well as, the support from his family and friends that kept Joshua going for as long as he was able to be here with us.

    We wish he could have felt all the love and support that has poured out over the last week.  We also hope that if anyone here is experiencing feelings of anxiety, depression, hopelessness or is suffering from addiction, that you reach out to someone and start getting the help you need.

    Josh leaves behind, in his addiction, his son Benjamin Asher Jones; loving mother, Sandra Goedecke; brother and best friend, Jesse L Jones; aunts and uncles, Sharon (Jim) Weiss, Rob Goedecke, Gary Goedecke, Kathleen Jones Orington and Eileen Jones; cousins, Nick Weiss, Ethan Weiss, Sachia Jones Miesse; and his beloved girlfriend, Allison Zbinden.

    Josh was preceded in death by his grandparents, Eula Mae and Robert Wallace Goedecke, Lyle Allen and Martha Jones; father, Ralph Jones; uncles, Bruce Jones, David Jones, Douglas Jones; cousin, Malcolm Jones.

    Memorials may be made to the Family, in c/o Sandra Goedecke, to help with his funeral expenses.

    Visitation:  Thursday, November 18, 2021, from 4:00 to 8:00 pm, and Friday, November 19, 2021, from 10:00 to 11:00 am, at Meridith Funeral Home, Pocahontas, IL.

    Funeral Service:  Friday, November 19, 2021, 11:00 am, Meridith Funeral Home, Pocahontas, IL.

    Clergy:  Pastor Ray Snider, Pocahontas United Methodist Church

    Interment:  Robinson Cemetery

    Meridith Funeral Home, Pocahontas, IL.

Condolences are reviewed and published within 24 hours.

6 Condolences
 
  1. Cindy Casey / November 16, 2021 at 12:17 pm

    Sorry for your loss. Your family and you Sandy are in my thoughts and prayers 🙏🏼🙏🏼❤❤

  2. Eileen Jones / November 16, 2021 at 2:33 pm

    Josh was my nephew and I loved him very much, as I also love his brother, Jesse. I was so heartbroken to learn of his death! Although I live in California and wasn’t able to be close to him physically, he was always in my heart and thoughts, just as Jesse has been and will be!
    As most of the Jones family has experienced, I struggled with my own addictions and mental challenges. I was fortunate enough to find my way to sobriety 23 years ago. The disease is extremely hard to beat, as it is never far from our thoughts. It rides on your shoulder 24/7, just waiting to catch you at a low and desperate point, ready to take you back into its clutches! I have only been able to stay one step ahead of the it, one day at a time, by finding a community of clean and sober people. We share a common bond and know it is only through our support of each other, along with a way to live on a daily basis, can we beat this monster! We all know it will only take one slip to fall back where we were, and risk losing our lives like too many others have done.
    We cannot risk the occasional drink at a celebration, or for a personal accomplishment, for we know we cannot drink like normal people. For us it becomes an obsession of a temporary escape from our misery. But we only need to examine our lives and our past to see where one drink will lead us, to the next and the next and then we need a higher high, and there’s no end to where we will go to continue down that spiral.
    I do not judge Josh. I only wish I could have been there to offer a hand, and say, “I know what you’re going through. Please let me help you, as it will pass, if you let it, together we can do it.” But sometimes it is bigger than you and it will tell you, you’re making the right choice.”
    I believe there is a higher power out in this world, which sometimes it knows more than any of us do individually. For whatever reason, it chose to take Joshua and relieve him of his suffering. So we must accept the choices the Universe makes, and move forward with the ones who are left to carry on. I want to say I will stay in touch with Jesse, Sandy, Benny, and Molly. I will do what I can do. But each one of us has choices, and time will tell if those choices intersect, or need to go another way. I will pray for all the family and loved ones left behind!
    I will leave you with one thought, Josh, please show Benny the way and teach him through us to know right from wrong, and to love himself and all of life!❤️🙏🏽👍🏽✌🏽😘🌈

  3. Natalie Miller / November 16, 2021 at 6:23 pm

    Josh will be remembered for his heart of gold. He was kind and compassionate and always willing to share a smile. He will surely be missed by all who knew him.

  4. Theresa Thompson / November 16, 2021 at 7:57 pm

    Josh battled his demons for a long time. He did the best he could.
    From the time I spent at Funderburk’s, Josh was always kind and friendly. He was one of the good reasons to go to work each day. He will be missed by many people.
    My heart breaks for his immediate family as well as those who made up his extended family.

  5. Hill Patty / November 18, 2021 at 2:22 pm

    Joshua was a friend he grew up with my kids. He grew up with my son Robert. They was good friend ‘s. Joshua took my grandson Wyatt Bone skate boarding with him and Benny. Benny is a good boy . Just like Joshua was when he was a kid. We will miss Joshua and the good man ,father ,son, friend, He was. God please be with Joshua .God please be with Sandy , Molly Benny, Jesse .All the family in there time of need .We will always remember Joshua and love him.

  6. Carol Molnar / November 19, 2021 at 7:08 am

    So sad to hear of Josh’s passing. I have wonderful memories of him from when he was a special friend of mne and my grandson James when they were friends in gradeschool. I always enjoyed the times he would come to visit us at our home. We had some special conversations about our shyness and I can remember his smile when we found out it was a thing we shared. I know what its like to have someone you love suffering from addiction and the pain it causes you as well as them. We all have addictions of some sort in our lives and know how hard it is to overcome them. It takes strength to fight them off and we should show compassion to those who are fighting. You can be sure that he is in heaven and will always be in our hearts. Sandy you were a special friend to me as well and you are in my thoughts and prayers. God bless you all !

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