Like many of you who new him, I and my many friends in the north west airgunning community just cannot believe that we will never have the opportunity of spending time with Ian again.
For over thirty years Ian Jones was very much part of our lives. He wasnt just a friend, he was the conduit that helped to hold everything together both within our club Rivington Riflemen and basically most things with an airgunning slant that occurred within our area. He had the fastest wit of anybody I have known and could have earned a living as a comedy script writer. He was so intelligent that you could see it fizzing away in his eyes whenever the very few serious conversations occurred.
Ian has been an ever present character within the lives of both myself and my son James who have known him for decades. As such he was very much part of our family. Never again will we hear the "Chuckles" shouted at the top of his voice to James on his appearances at our club. Its little things like that that make this hard to write. None of us at the club can quite believe that he has gone. He was such a fantastic character. It would have to be said that he didnt suffer fools gladly, and his shocking ability to drop somebody dead with words alone had to be seen to be fully appreciated.
Ian had many struggles with his health over the years but never let it get the better of him. Those of us with lesser health issues would often be told by him that it "will get better." He told me this exact thing only last week. I wish I could tell him right now how important he has been to so many of us for so many years.
I will admit to you all that I have tears in my eyes as I write. None of his many friends will ever get over the passing of such a massive character. We are all of us absolutely and utterly devastated.
Our sympathies also go out to all of Ian's children and grandchildren.
Andy
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, he was right of course, it was a generous price.
