Jay Lemon, Jr. 86 of Rootstown, formerly of Brady Lake, died Wednesday, October 17, 2012 at his residence surrounded by his children. He was born August 20, 1926 in Kent, Ohio to Jay and Thelma P. (Richardson) Lemon.He had lived in Brady Lake, attended Brady Lake School and then Kent Roosevelt High School. Jay was on the 1944 Roosevelt Golf team that played for the state championship and tied for 1st place, losing in a playoff. In 1954 he won Portage County Amateur Golf Championship. In the early 70's he taught his son Tom and most of the Rootstown golf team how to play golf and was a teacher of the game. He loved teaching his grandsons and watching grandson Nevada play recently on the Rootstown Golf Team. His father taught him to play drums and he played in the drum and bugle corps with his father and brother and later in the Kent Roosevelt Band. He continued playing drums in his adult life at Maple Rest Gardens in a dance band twice a week for 7 years then played in his brother John's band for numerous weddings and New Years Eve parties. He attended Kent State University on the G.I. Bill and played golf on the KSU golf team. Jay served in the US Navy in WWII and the Korean War, served in the VFW Honor Guard for many years and was awarded the Lifetime Award as the last WWII veteran serving in the Ravenna Honor Guard. He marched in many parades and served his fallen comrades at their calling hours and funerals. He served in the color guard at Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery in Rittman once a month serving veterans. He worked for over 30 years as a traffic manager for Evenflo Products in Ravenna retiring in 1992 and previously worked at the Ravenna Arsenal. Jay was the family storyteller and loved to tell his family stories and keep things light and fun. He enjoyed hunting with his 3 brothers and enjoyed watching the Cleveland Indians and Cavs. Survivors include his daughters Carol (Gary) Morris, Connie (David) Moulton and Christine (Robert) Wright, son Thomas Jay (Sheila) Lemon who lovingly cared for his father, brother Alan Lemon, grandchildren Stephanie (Nicholas) Farkash, Valerie (Ryan) Wood, Jason Moulton, Angela Moulton, Jeremy (Mindy) Moulton, Tamara (Doug) Bentley, Marissa Wright, Clinton Wright and Nevada Lemon, great grandchildren Jenna Sturm-Moulton, Michael Farkash, Miranda Wood, Justin Farkash, Mathew Wood and David Charlie Moulton, step grandchildren Michael Bondarenka and Mandy (Brad) Fulks, step great grandchildren Brooke Fulks, Nathan Fulks and Jax Bondarenka. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife Helen in 2004, and brothers John and Robert Lemon. Calling hours will be from 2 - 4 & 6 - 8 PM Friday, October 19, 2012 at Shorts Spicer Crislip Funeral Home Ravenna Chapel. Funeral services will be held at 10 AM Saturday, October 20, 2012 at the funeral home. Burial will follow in Homeland Cemetery in Rootstown with full military honors provided by the Ravenna VFW and the US Navy. Memorials can be made to the Ravenna VFW #1055, 6000 New Milford Road, Ravenna, OH 44266. The family wishes to thank Shelly and Robinson Memorial Hospice for their care and support.
