John Crowe Maddox, Iii

Our beloved husband, father, and grandfather left this world unexpectedly on Friday, April 16th at 7:32 am. Jay was born in Ft. Belvoir, VA to John Crowe Maddox Jr. (d. 1975) and Nanearle Harkey Maddox (d. 1985).

Jay grew up in Salt Lake City with his older sister Anne Bingham. He attended Granite High School where he greatly enjoyed playing basketball and played guitar in a rock band named The Epics. He graduated from Granite High School in 1967 and married his high school sweetheart, Janyne Rigby, in June of the same year. Their daughter, Kristin, was born shortly thereafter. Jay joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in 1970. He was later sealed to Janyne in the Salt Lake Temple in 1971. Jay graduated from the University of Utah with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science in 1974. Sadly, Janyne passed away due to Hodgkins Lymphoma in March 1976.

After Janyne's death Jay married Gay Lynne Lillie and became the step-father to Gay Lynne's children: Tracy Welch, Tiffini John, Tami Smith, and Craig Hemingway. Their daughter, April, was born in April 1978. Jay and Gay Lynne were married for eight years and then divorced.

In May 1985 Jay married Shawna Groendyke Christiansen and became the step-father to Shawna's children: Jennifer Christiansen, Amie Huber, Matt Christiansen, and Melanie Larisch. Their daughter, Sadie, was born in July 1987.

Kristin married Bryan Trussel in March 1991. They are now living in Seattle, Washington with their five children. April married Joel Gulick in August 2003. They are now living in Arlington, Virginia with their twin sons. Sadie married Ricky Ward in October 2008. They are living in Sandy, Utah.

He is "Grandpa Jay" to Zack Morris, Tyler Larisch, Kailey Trussel, Colton Morris, Jordan Larisch, Ashlyn Trussel, Nick Morris, Josh Larisch, Dalton Huber, Dylan Huber, Kendall Jensen, McKenna Trussel, Macey Trussel, Sam Trussel, Paul Gulick, Ben Gulick, and Trevor Christiansen.

Professionally, Jay was very dedicated and ambitious. He worked for the United States Postal Service full-time while supporting Janyne and Kristin and attending the University of Utah. After graduating, Jay worked as a computer programmer for the state of Utah Job Services, the L.D.S. Church, and the Computer Marketing Corporation (CMC). He also created a computer program for basketball statistics and worked as a statistician with the Utah Jazz for over a decade. Towards the end of his life, Jay worked primarily in sales with CMC.

April's thoughts about her dad: The most precious memory I have of my dad is him playing the guitar and singing while sitting around a campfire. I get goose bumps just thinking about those haunting melodies. It is in large part because of my dad that I developed such a deep love for music, studied cello and piano, and majored in music in college. I will also remember what a hard worker he was. I recall him telling me stories about going to school and working full-time so he could support Janyne and Kristin. He would survive off of just a few hours of sleep each day, working the graveyard shift at the post-office and taking classes during the day, spending as much time as he could with his wife and infant daughter. While I was going to college and law school the thought of my dad's dedication to get through school while having the added pressure of a family gave me an immense amount of strength. He taught me that with a little hard work and perseverance you could accomplish anything. Love you, dad!

Kristin's thoughts about her dad: My heart is full of gratitude for the blessing of having him as my father. The journey we traveled together in this life was a somewhat crazy, bumpy and wild ride... but there was not one moment of that ride that I didn't feel secure in the fact that he loved me. In my mother's history she wrote what a calming influence he was to me as a baby. After a day full of me being a cranky newborn she said he would come home, take me in his arms sing a little song he knew "that's ok, Rose would say don't you worry none..." I would settle right down and he would lay me on his chest and I would fall asleep. I have always loved snuggling up to that great big strong body. His hugs were the best. I will miss them tremendously.

Like April, dad playing his guitar and singing are my most precious memories of him. I think nearly every Sunday night when I was a little girl you would find my dad and I in the living room and as he would play the guitar and sing songs like "killing me softly" or one of the Beatle's songs, I would dance and twirl around and sing with him wearing my frilliest slip. I will always remember those times with such tenderness. I loved to hear my dad play and sing to the guitar. I think because you could see how much joy it brought him. Dad was a fun dad. He liked to play. The new house had a formal dining room that the old house didn't. They had the room now but not the money to furnish it. So it was big and open and the perfect place for dad and I to play Nerf soccer during those snowy, winter months. If dad could have gone fishing and camping every weekend he would. Unfortunately with mom being so sick he couldn't go as much as he would have liked to. Although, often he and I would just go up to the Uinta's for the afternoon and do a little fishing. There were also kite flying Saturdays at Sugarhouse park, long motorcycle rides where we would end up at Dan's for a ten cent ice cream cone, many summer evenings playing softball or "horse" at the hoops. Our house was always the funnest house on the block, thanks to Dad who would bring home stilts, scooters, our trampoline, etc.

He was a wonderful grandfather...that aspect of living in Seattle, all my married years, has been tormenting, thinking of all the missed opportunities my kids have had of knowing and creating memories with such a fun and darling grandfather. The semiannual trips and times we could get together were always so fun and memory filled and he will be missed very much by my children. Dad had a wonderful way of making people feel at ease and happy when they were with him with his fun sense of humor and kind ways. Although not perfect, Dad has a lot of wonderful qualities. One, being he was an incredibly patient and forgiving father to me. With the little or big mistakes in my life, he was patient and loving and never criticized me. Dad always looked for the good in people. I would seldom hear him criticize or say unkind things about other people. He was gentle with others weaknesses. He tried to treat other people like he would have liked to be treated. Dad learned to be an exceptional peacemaker... with the ... let's just say complicated family situation, the two of us have had, since mom died. He learned how to make the best of situations, see both sides of any situation and try to help others meet in the middle somewhere. Dad was cheerful and optimistic when faced with adversity or pain. He wasn't one to complain or overlook the good things in his life at those times. I am grateful for his wonderful example and hope to be able to emulate all of these wonderful qualities in my own life.

Thankfully, I truly believe that this is just a temporary separation and I will see and be with my wonderful father again. While suffering this great loss to me and my family I feel much comfort and happiness in knowing he is once again with his first love, my mother. I also look forward to the day that I and all of our family will be together again. See you then Dada