BRIGHTON - The Village of Brighton celebrated Allen Jones’s 95th birthday with The Official Allen Jones Day on Feb. 26, 2024.
Jones is a longtime resident of Brighton and a member of St. John United Church of Christ. His contributions to the church, the Bott Cemetery Board, and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Chapter #366 have made him stand out as a “community treasure” and friend to all, said Reverend John Pawloski.
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“It was just this really neat moment of this man who had been at the church his entire life, who is probably personally responsible for most of the people that are currently members feeling welcome and joining the church,” Pawloski added. “He’s held every position imaginable in the church, and he’s just one of those people. He has a bright smile all the time. You couldn't ask for a nicer person, and he’s just a joy to be around, and everybody in the Village of Brighton knows him.”
To celebrate The Official Allen Jones Day, members of St. John provided testimonials about Jones’s friendship and how he has welcomed them to the church community. Pawloski led a Laying On of Hands on Jones and offered a blessing.
Jones and his wife, Audrey, are “the cutest couple,” Pawloski said. They marked their 75th wedding anniversary a few months ago. She was right by his side as the church members talked about Jones and ate chocolate chip cookies — his favorite — to celebrate him.
Jones is always on the move, and he can often be found landscaping at the church, preparing fish for a fish fry or doing other tasks to help the church thrive. He “just never stops” and is constantly helping other people in the community. This is why the mayor of Brighton, Mayor Matt Kasten, noted that Brighton does not usually issue proclamations but could make an exception for Jones, Pawloski said.
“It was a special day. I still have goosebumps thinking about it,” he added. “Our church is just tickled pink to have him and we were happy to have a celebration.”
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