John Cross Jr.

I still miss you Dad

Joanie and Jake- could not have
been better for us all-
Jake love Joanie so had to love me- she did
and he was here to make her happy.
He knew how to love- rare- and that is the
best thing ever said about anyone.
We 4- my Dave, Joanie, Jake and Peg had
wonderful times. Wonderful to have lived
in his time- Peg Mullins

The Cross family was very special to our family for many years. My first memory of Jake was as I was lying on the bathroom floor in Canoga Park, Ca., hemoraging, and in the process of losing our first child. (We were next door neighbors at that time.) He and Jim rushed me to the hospital. Jake never hesitated to quickly react when anyone needed help....except one time...I didn't know who else to call, Jim was out of town, and I discovered a baby snake in our home. Jake said, "I love you...

JR was such a lover. He loved Joanie and the girls with a love that was bigger than the West Texas sky. He loved his buddies, his brothers, his friends.

He loved all of us adopted kids that Joanie drug home to embrace as family, too. I was among the first and was always referred to as their "apopted daughter #1". I liked the way that sounded. Still do.

When I was growing up, Joanie and JR's house was my second home. I was the girls first babysitter, and I...

You are missed every day JR.

I didn't really know JR. that well but looking back on it know, I really wish I could have. After the funeral I kept looking back on his life and how full it was and I thought about it, and thats the kind of life, I WANT TO LIVE. I want to live life to the fullest and have no regrets just like he did. He opened my eyes that day showing me to quit dwelling on my past and look towards the future because you only live once. At the funeral, I felt him sitting right beside as everyone talked about...

I have always know J.R. Cross, he was like a brother to me and he always loved me unconditionally. When I was little I would always say, "Jake will hix it". J. R. gave my husband a job he took a chance on him and it was the best thing that could have ever happened to us. Thank you J.R.

Larger then life, strong, courageous, determined, selfless, compassionate, brave, unrelenting, relentless, unwavering, undaunting, unstoppable, straightforward, brave, thoughtful, fearless, tough, caring, strong, big, loyal, courageous, dedicated husband,
father and friend. The qualities of a true hero! Just a few of J.R. Cross' qualities, my hero and my friend!

It has taken me a long time and been very difficult to sum up my thoughts about J.R. Cross. Where do I begin to write about someone who was my dearest friend for 30 years? I still start to phone him all the time to tell him something. The first time I saw J.R. was at MCI and I thought, “why is this cowboy in the office?” Boy, I sure did learn why as he with all of his field engineers came in and out of our buildings and lives during those early MCI years.

The thing that stands...