A Tribute to the late Darryl Quentin Strawberry

I've been thinking recently about why I still hold onto my little red car that has not been working since early December and came to this conclusion: I have not written a proper eulogy to express my love to Darryl. I have not let him go in my heart and, therefore, have not let him go physically. So, Darryl, I now write a tribute to our glorious six years together.

Darryl came into my life on a sultry August day in the year of 2001. I spent my summer covered in paint, driving an old Ford pickup with Aunt Tina at my side. It was the first summer of my college years. I was young and ambitious, ready to grab life by the horns. My grandparents informed me of their desire to help me obtain a car for college and for visits to and from New Mexico. The search commenced. I had dreams of flowing through the streets of Provo, the wind in my hair and a gleam in my eye. Oh the dates I would get! Oh the times I would have! It all seemed so perfect. I remember nights of searching the classifieds of Farmington's daily newspaper. Would I find the car to fit my college fantasy? Would it be all I could ever want and more? So many questions boggled my mind and interrupted my sleep as I searched for that perfect car to call my own.

On a day of particular importance I picked up the classifieds again. With lowered confidence in used car marketplace I scanned through the sections again. Audi-no; Chevrolet-no; BMW-wishful thinking; Honda-hopeful, but no; and then caught my eye....Nissan. "Nissan Sentra 1993 $3000 OBO." It was a simple ad with little to no description. I eagerly showed my father the add and expressed my desire to call the number to check it out. We called and set up a time to see the little Nissan. Everything fell into place. We met, we drove, we fell in love. Darryl and I were united not even a week later. When it's right there is no reason to stall. You just know.

Years have gone by. Darryl and I made it through months of living in the warm sunshine of California. We worked for American Express and a variety of Italian eateries. We dated and we dumped boyfriends. We have loved and we have lost. We have nieces and nephews. We lived through the sorrow of 9/11 and the joy of going through the temple for the first time. We learned how to snowboard and surf. We shopped for groceries and clothes. We studied Roman History and Shakespeare. We laughed together. We cried for the loss of love and for the continuous change of a single life. But most of all, we lived. We took in the good along with the bad and learned to see beauty in every season of life. We struggled and failed. We tried and succeeded. We lived.

So, yes, it is hard for me to let little Darryl go. He has been with me through the most transitional phase of my life. Friends came and went, but Darryl stayed the course. Many memories were carved in the wheels of that car. Many miles of my life rest in his seats. He ran on blessings and for longer than was necessary. Darryl knew I needed him so along he ran until he could no longer go.

He died peacefully as Shelly and I drove home from a night of musical celebration during the Christmas season. Within a street from home he pulled over at the local Sandy Senior Center and putted to a stop. It seemed almost fitting that Darryl chose this spot as he was late in his senior years. As hard as it was for me to accept that it was over, I allowed him to rest and we called a friend to pick us up. It was done.

Darryl Strawberry, I pay my tribute to you. To your goodness and compassion. To your love and exuberance. To your loyalty and courage. Thank you for traveling so many years by my side and sharing in my joys and in my sorrows. I pay my last respects this day to your memory. My standards have been raised. No car may ever mean as much to me as you did. I will miss you but will always carry the memory of you in my heart. To Darryl, the best little red car I could have ever hoped for.

A New Era in the Jones Newsletter

Yes, a New Era has begun in the life of the Jones Family Newsletter. We are now completely updated, techonology-wise, and online. Think of the possibilities! Hours of Jones family fun only a click away! You probably never imagined this day would come. Well, here it is my friends.