On the afternoon of October 10, 2023 James Raymond ‘JR’ Janda, 17, of Concrete, Washington died in a tragic car accident close to his home.
He was born on March 22, 2006 at 12:35pm at Skagit Valley Hospital in Mount Vernon, Washington. He was the third son born in his family and attended the Concrete School District Kindergarten through the beginning of his 12th grade year.
For most of his childhood he enjoyed playing baseball and football. He loved fishing with his dad. Something they started doing even before JR could walk. His dad would bring his car seat to the riverbank, and they would sit and fish together. His hobbies included riding his four-wheeler, shooting hoops, playing video games, hanging out with friends, and engaging in a spirited debate but the things he enjoyed most were cooking, coming up with new recipes, and just spending time with his family including his favorite dog Popeye.
Even as a young child he made mundane things fun. He had a spark and sense of humor that could make the whole room light up and laugh. He was the kind of child you wished you wrote everything he said down because you never knew what he was going to say. A good example of his clever personality is one story when he was around 8 years old and “borrowed” a boy scout uniform from his grandmother’s house. He took it home, put it on and then loaded his dads wheelbarrow full of our chopped wood. He was then on his way to sell it to our neighbors for ten dollars. He wanted to remain an honest salesman, so he told them all he was a “home scout”. He always made us laugh.
JR never met a stranger or missed an opportunity to brighten someone’s day. To say he was charming or charismatic would be an understatement. He was a force, a presence, a bright light. He had a joy for life and a confidence that left an impression on everyone that met him. It was hard to leave an interaction or conversation with JR without having a smile on your face.
He also had an amazing heart. He valued people of all walks of life. Instead of meeting anger with anger he tried understanding and empathy. He was wise beyond his years and made us better for knowing him. He taught his friends and family lessons that will continue on for the rest of our lives.
As he grew into adulthood his values and morals remained strong. He was a genuinely good Christian person. He was interested in so many aspects of the world, religion, and politics. He greatly valued his family, his country and his freedom. He made his family proud every day with his compassion and intelligence. He will be forever remembered as the very special person he was. JR will be forever deeply missed by those that loved him.
Matthew 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”
He is survived by his parents, James and Kristen Janda; brothers, Hayden O’Neil, David O’Neil (Allison); nephews, Ryder and Archer O’Neil; grandparents, John and Mary Janda, Melissa McAdam, Keith and Angie Passig; aunts, Jenny Janda, Angela and Billy Pettijohn, Mary Jo Janda; uncles, Caleb Janda, Danny McAdam (Roxanne), Kevin McAdam; cousins, Helena Pettijohn, Pippa Pettijohn, Lexi McAdam, Mia McAdam, Eli Haines, Sammy Haines, Neely Martin, Johnny Dellinger; numerous aunts, uncles and cousins that will miss him greatly.
He is preceded in death by his grandfather, Patrick T. McAdam.
A Celebration of JR’s life will be held at 2:00, at the Concrete High School Gymnasium on Sunday, October 22, 2023, followed by a reception in the Commons. All are welcome and encouraged to bring your best JR stories to share. JR was laid to rest at the Forest Park Cemetery in Concrete, WA. Share your memories of JR and sign the online guest register.
Dear Mary and John Janda,
I am so sorry to read your Grandson JR has passed after a dreadful accident.
I was actually wondering what was going on with you on an internet search and read the story.
We spent a weekend with you and John I remember fondly.
May God be close to you always.
Blessings Mary❤️
My thoughts and prayers to the entire family, I’m so sorry for your loss
This is something I wrote and shared with our Youth Dynamic group on Monday 10/16/23. I would love for the people who haven’t heard it to get a chance to hear the way Jr changed my life and touched my heart everyday.
As I read this out loud a day short of a week after the accident, I choose to read it as if I am talking to you and not about you. I miss talking to you and I hate the fact that we are all here tonight having to mourn you when you should still be here with us tonight playing sharks and minnows.
Honestly I don’t know where to start, even if I was writing this to you as a letter because you were still here I wouldn’t know where to start and I wouldn’t know how to end it. I could write about you and your beautiful soul forever. You have given me so much to look forward to, so much hope to have and you kept me afloat when I was drowning and no one knew but you.
I’m in so much pain Jr, but I feel as if I’m more mad than anything. The one person I want to talk about all my pain, is the reason I am going through all of it. I’m mad because I don’t have anyone to laugh with when I’m having a bad day and I’m going through a lot of those right now. I’m mad because I dont have my person to sit with in 5th period and quite frankly your chair isnt even there anymore.
Normally when I’m going through pain like this I write poetry and you know that because I let you read a lot of it which isn’t normal for me to do, but I loved the way you admired my writing. You understood the emotions I put behind my words, you could read me like I was a book, even if I was completely silent.
The night I found out I went to get in my car and drive home . . . thinking I was gonna be fine, but I had to pull over and have my parents come get me because I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t see, I couldn’t breathe, I was thinking of too many things at once, I was sad and mad. My heart was shattered.
I went home and layed in bed and cried for hours. I couldn’t sleep, so I texted your mother at 4 in the morning, and when she responded with “Jr loved you and always told us what good friends you were and how much he liked talking to you” it made me so happy; but hurt so bad because I thought our friendship went very unnoticed and overlooked.
I wish I wouldn’t have taken advantage of the time I had with you because I didn’t know that that time would be shortened. Now those moments spent with you are the most important moments in my life that I wish I could spend even just a few more minutes in, but also in a selfish way, I am happy that I had the moments I had with you that others didn’t. I’m happy that I had the moments we laughed till we couldn’t breathe, I had code words with you, and a whole made up language. Moments that some might have never gotten to have with you. I feel badly for the people who didn’t get the opportunity to because you had the most wholehearted, genuine, sweetest soul with the most contagious smile.
For some reason I feel like I’m in a movie and I can go back and somehow prevent this from happening, but then I come back to reality and realize my favorite person is gone. I will never be able to talk to you again, sit next to you, be in your presence.
I lost a piece of me that night and selfishly- I want to give up because I feel like I can’t keep living knowing you’re not here.. .But for you, I have to stay, for you I have to work harder, and for you, I have to be better and continue to make you proud.
Through all this, I hope you are no longer suffering with the pain you never told anyone about. Until I see you again Jr., watch over your family and friends and when you get a chance respond to my prayers. Rest well my sweet friend, I love you.
My Thoughts & Prayers are with you all. I am so sorry for your loss. JR went to school with my son. May he rest in peace.
We moved next door to JR and his family almost 11 years ago, shortly afterwards we would be in our back yard and I thought I had seen this guy spying through the trees I’m sure to see who these new neighbors were, eventually he came in over and introduced himself to us and of course told him he could come over anytime he wanted. What really stands out to me is him riding his bicycle out in front of his house and outs just a singing as loud as he could, it always put a big smile on my face and in my heart! JR you are forever in our hearts and we are glad that we knew you!
I have many memories of JR. Just from him living right next door from time he was very little. JR was always seen with no shirt and possibly no shoes when he was younger and it always made us smile. It would be freezing and there was JR with no shirt having the time of his life. I have a specific memory I would like to share. One day I was driving up our driveway and right at the top of our driveway was a deer head. Just the head! I freaked out. I couldn’t get out of my truck because of my fear so I called my dad asking him to maybe come up and move it for me. After sitting there for 5 minutes all the sudden a streak flew past my window…yes, you guessed it…shirtless/shoeless JR. 😆 He grabs the deer head by the antlers and runs back passed me like he had just found a million dollars that he had lost. Apparently my dog stole his prize possession out of their yard. That image will always make me smile. I have never heard an unkind word spoke about JR…ever. He was a gem and has left a giant hole in this community. In the arms of God now ♥️
So many prayers are being said for this beautiful family… you are loved… thank you JR for touching this world the way you did… ❤️
Love You JR…Your Missed..But Carry You In My Heart!!Allways..AVJ..
My dearest nephew, I miss you so much. You’ll have to look down on my boys from heaven and help them out from time to time. There are so many things you didn’t get to teach them. I’ll think of you whenever I cook. Love your Auntie JoJo