James O. Nester Jr.

FUNERAL HOME

E. Alvin Small Funeral Homes & Crematory - Colonial Heights

2033 Boulevard

Colonial Heights, Virginia

James Nester Obituary

James O. Nester Jr., 80, of Disputanta, died Friday, Feb. 27, 2009. Funeral arrangements will be announced by the Colonial Heights Chapel of the E. Alvin Small Funeral Homes & Crematory.

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Published by The Progress-Index on Feb. 28, 2009.

Memories and Condolences
for James Nester

3 Entries

Dawnn Donahue (Womack)

March 8, 2009

My thoughts and prayers are with you in your time of grief. May your memories bring you comfort.

Robert Johnston Jr

March 4, 2009

I first met Junie, Mary and Mary Jo when I was about 10 years old at my Uncle James’s house. I’ve always been a very shy person and slow to take to strangers, but Junie was different, something about him, perhaps it was his charisma , but I took to him immediately and before long Junie and Mary were family to me. There were many days and nights of Fishing, Cooking and eating . Every time we got together it was a party atmosphere with a long line of fun loving characters’ . We had Uncle James, Police Chief Ellison, Tucker Martin and so many more people who when you put them all together in one place you were guaranteed a good time. There was times Mary Jo and I being the only kids there would just sit together and watch it all unfold, it was fun. Chief Ellison was one hell of a cook, and when you put him and Junie together we never knew what would be on the plate. I was someone who would never eat anything that I would consider strange, but I remember Junie handing me a bowl of soup one night, and after I finished he asked “ If I like it??” I said “ Yes that was pretty good” his reply “That was turtle Soup“ I think he enjoyed my reaction.
As kids Mary Jo was a very tall and beautiful girl, we would sit in the back of her dads truck and talk and talk for hours, and I really enjoyed her company. But being shy and definitely intimidated by her, I would always get this feeling of butterflies and soon my flight reaction would kick in, I’d run to shore, grab a fishing pole, Junie would look down at me, Then look at Mary and say “here he comes again!! And both would get a big laugh out of it….10 seconds later Mary Jo would run up asking her dad “make him come back to the truck!!” In one of my last conversations with Mary before she passed away, she reminded me of that story, in that conversation I mentioned that I saw Mary Jo in Colonial Heights one day and she asked if I spoke to her….when I said no, she laughed and said “all these years and you haven’t changed a bit!!”
It is said that all good things must come to an end, sad but true. Soon my parents divorce would rock my world , friends that I loved would soon become just distant memories, over the years family became strangers. Nothing good comes from divorce. I became more withdrawn from people, only allowing a chosen few to become close. The next time I saw Mary Jo was high school, at first I didn’t even recognize her, she was even more beautiful than before, in fact she looked like a Hollywood model. I never spoke to her, I figured she was moving up in the world, while I was just trying to hang on, besides at this point what would we have common anymore.
People who know me best will tell you, I never forget a friend. Those who touched my life are always with me. While it has been said good things end, it is also said that tragedy reunites. Uncle James came to visit, and soon broke the story about Mary Jo husband’s death, combined with the fact it came shortly after the birth of their daughter made it one saddest stories I’ve ever heard. Suddenly all these memories of her and her family came rushing back, I was hurting…..I kept asking myself how such a thing could happen to these sweet little girl from my past. A few days passed and I couldn’t stop thinking about her and wondering if she was going to be able to handle it, finally I couldn’t stand it no more, I had to know she was okay. At first I tried to locate her, when that failed I started searching for Junie and Mary, soon I finally reached Mary and was so surprised that she remembered me, even more surprised she remembered me so well. I guess we talked about an hour or more, she assured me Mary Jo was fine and would be okay, we talked about the past and things that had happened since. She teased me about being so scared of Mary Jo. But then she told me If I didn’t learn to deal with my shyness , it was going to hurt me more than help me. That statement would haunt me, after promising to pay her and Junie a visit, I kept putting it off, I was scared not sure why but I was. The next thing I knew she had gotten sick and passed away. I came to the funeral home sad, and somewhat guilty for missing an opportunity to see a lady I had so much admired as a child. As I walked in, there stood Junie, looking the same as he did nearly 30 years ago, I was nervous but Junie had a way at putting you at ease and within seconds 30 years was washed away and it was like it had only been a few days since we seen each other. Mary would tease me, but Junie was more of the mischievous type, we talked a while then he looked across the room at Mary Jo, looked at me and smiled and said “There’s Mary Jo….Go talk to her” I was thinking to myself, I can’t believe he remembers all that. Then his voice become much firmer “Go talk to her!!” I made the mistake of turning my back on Junie and said “ She’s busy, maybe later” then suddenly he shoves me hard, Mary Jo had her back to me I lost my footing and thought I was going to fall over top of her.. Suddenly I’m standing there looking at her trying to figure out what to say and wondering if she even would remember me, after a moment she stood up and gave me a big hug, I glanced over at Junie, he was smiling and gave me a thumbs up…it’s a memory I’ll never forget. That night I promised Junie I would stay in touch and over the past few years we spent many afternoons sitting and talking about the old days reliving different moments of the past. Junie was my therapy, those hours spent with him was my escape back when life was happier for me.
I visited with Junie this past October, when he opened the door I knew without asking his battle had begun. We sat and talked, he joked about losing his hair, but other than that Junie was still Junie. He sounded strong, talked about his ongoing treatment and was looking forward to Christmas. When I said good-bye on this day, I didn’t know it was going to be last one, if I did perhaps I would have told him how much him and Mary meant to me, and thanked him for being there and listing and giving me many great memories to hold on to. As we stood there yesterday to honor him it what turned out to be a beautiful service I struggled to remain strong. As we said our good-byes, my mind was focused on Mary Jo, as I watched her my mind was flooded with memories of every moment we had as a child, my heart was breaking, thinking about how this sweet little girl that I use to sit with in the back of her daddy’s truck with, has had to endure so much loss in so short of time and how unfair it seems. Yet on the other hand I stand in awe at the incredible strength she has despite these losses, much stronger than I believe I could have had. Then it became clear to me, I thought to myself, Mary Jo, what a fitting name, because every great quality Mary has and Junie has is wrapped up in this beautiful young lady. To those who never got to know Junie and Mary Nester, spend a few minutes with Mary Jo and soon it will be clear how wonderful these people really were.
Today Junie and Mary are holding hands and walking among the clouds so happy to be back side by side and probably looking down and asking themselves why are we crying so much?? To Bubba and Janet, because of our age difference I never got to know you, but my heart goes out to you the same and to Mary Jo my dearest, sweetest friend , when you need a friend call on me and Junie is smiling down on me now as I say “ I promise you, this time I won’t run away”

Timothy Ryan

March 1, 2009

My thoughts and prayers are with you in your time of grief. May your memories bring you comfort.

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