1
James R. Jones—Grand Marshall for the Brownsburg Lions 4th of July Parade 2016
Brownsburg Lions are both fortunate and proud to have Jim Jones as Grand Marshall for our
2016 4th of July Parade. He is a former member of the Brownsburg Lions Club and has been codirector of the Brownsburg Lions Club 4th of July Parade for 28 years. Because of his
unrelenting commitment to the service of others Jim has received both the Melvin Jones and the
W.P. Woods Award, the two highest awards for service presented by the Lions of Indiana. Jim
has been an integral part of Brownsburg for many years, teaching, leading by example, and
getting things done. We appreciate it.
To say that Jim Jones has been active in the affairs of Brownsburg is an understatement. He
served 8 years on the Brownsburg Board of Zoning Appeals and 16 years on the Brownsburg
Redevelopment Commission. As a Legion Service Officer of Post 331for 12 years, Jim has
organized, and served as master of ceremonies for the Veterans Memorial Weekend Service at
the Brownsburg Cemetery. He also organizes groups to place flags on veteran’s graves at
Greenlawn and Brownsburg Cemeteries for both Memorial Day and Veterans’ Day, and has
joined with the “40 & 8” group to provide programs for Hendricks County 1st graders about our
flag and the pledge of allegiance. In some years this program reaches as many as 2500 children.
Jim frequently rides with Hendricks County Deputies as a part of his service on the Hendricks
County Sheriffs Merit Board. After more than 40 of these “rides” that cover traffic stops,
accidents, and domestic violence, he says, “At the end of the day, it makes me realize just how
blessed I am.”
Traveling with deputies is not his only outlet. He and Bee hit the road with Roads Scholars on a
regular basis—at least 20 trips and counting. The next destination is to the Outer Banks in North
2
Carolina, where they will be introducing their grandson to an intergenerational event. Regardless
of the travel, Jim says that there is no place I would rather live than in Brownsburg.
James R. “Jim” Jones was born in Crawfordsville, Indiana in 1938, just as the great depression
was at its nadir and just before the onslaught of World War II. His parents were Cleo and Irene
Jones, and he had an older brother, Royce, now deceased. Jim always had a job, while attending
Crawfordsville High School. He mowed grass, stocked groceries at the Kroger store, and
pumped gas at a local station. He had a car, a little spending money and life was good. A year
before graduation from high school, Jim joined the National Guard. He was later activated to the
US Army to attend nuclear warhead school. After eight years in the Guard and Army, he was
discharged as artillery platoon sergeant. His best memories of the military were of the people,
NCOs and officers who served in WWII, who were skilled teachers and great leaders. Of high
school and the military Jim says, “These were some of the best times of my life.”
Upon graduation from high school in 1956 Jim took a job with Mack and Clough Electric, where
he learned about the theory of electricity and acquired the practical skill of house-wiring. After a
year as an electrician, he moved to Indianapolis, the big city to the east, where he landed a job
with Indiana Bell. He worked as an installer/repairman and became a crew leader. After 33
years, Indiana Bell was acquired by another company, and so Jim took an early retirement.
In an effort to stay active, Jim worked at Palmby’s Hardware for a while, and then moved to
Marathon Chemical as a sales representative.
A job was not Jim’s only success in Indianapolis. Me met and married Bee Brezinski in 1961.
She was a smart young woman who graduated from Shortridge High School and then became a
service representative for Indiana Bell. Jim and Bee moved to Brownsburg, where they have
3
lived for 55 years and raised three children: Aimee lives in Chicago, Leigh Anne in Jamestown,
and Andy, who is now deceased. They have five grandchildren.
Jim and Bee attended church with Leigh Anne at the Jamestown Christian Church, and decided
to join. But, he didn’t sit quietly in the corner. Jim is currently a Deacon in the church,
Chairman of Building and Grounds and a volunteer at the food pantry, which serves about 90
people on a regular basis. He still doesn’t have the concept of retirement.
For reading material Jim prefers biographies, auto-biographies, and history with a slight bias for
military and heroic figures ranging from the Greek Athenian Pericles through Hoosier General
Walter Bedell Smith. Jim likes nearly all kinds of music, particularly ballads that tell a story.
One of his favorite groups is the Bellamy Brothers.
He is an easy person to talk to, with a quick wit, a lively sense of humor, and a thorough
grounding in reality. He obviously loves people, and not surprisingly, they love him back. With
typical humility he says, “Any successes I’ve enjoyed are due to those who have been a part of
my life.” It is clear that when Brownsburg needs something done, Jim Jones is on the short list to
make it happen. Thank you Jim for your service.