Published on January 13, 2026 8:09 am
Last Updated on January 13, 2026 8:11 am
John Eric “Hair” Jones, age 48, of Xenia, Illinois, passed away at 8:56 am, Sunday, January 11, 2026, in Kinmundy, Illinois.
Eric was born on April 26, 1977, in Olney, Illinois, the son of Fred Leonard and Marcia Lou (Parker) Jones. Eric had recently married the love of his life, Jessica Juds, on March 22, 2025, at Forbes State Park in Kinmundy, Illinois.
For many years, Eric proudly served as a team lead at Xenia Manufacturing in Xenia and Olney, where he developed a meaningful bond with his coworkers. Outside of his career, Eric was known for his passion for collecting and reading superhero comic books. He loved music, particularly The Beatles, watching wrestling, and rooting for the St. Louis Cardinals Baseball team. Eric possessed a lesser-known talent for cooking and enjoyed watching various cooking shows and finding new recipes to try. Eric’s greatest joy came from being surrounded by his loved ones, cherishing the time spent with his children, and creating lasting memories that will forever remain in the hearts of those he touched.
Eric is survived by his wife: Jessica Jones of Xenia, 3 children: Keaton Jones of Vandalia, Zoe Jones of Edgewood, and Anakin Jones of Xenia; father: Fred Jones of Xenia; 3 brothers: Wayne (Aja Wood) Jones of Xenia, Justin (Kae Hoyt) Jones of Louisville, Roger (Sammantha) Jones of Honolulu, Hawaii; several cousins including Daniel Parker of Gardiner, Montana, who was like a brother; and several nieces and nephews.
Eric was preceded in death by his mother, Marcia Lou Jones.
A visitation will be held 11:00 am – 1:00 pm Saturday, January 17, 2026, at the McGriff Funeral Home in Kinmundy. A funeral will be held following the visitation, starting at 1:00 pm at the funeral home, with Gene Birch officiating. Following the services, cremation rites will be accorded.
The McGriff Funeral Home in Kinmundy is honored to be entrusted with the arrangements. To sign the guestbook online or to share a memory or story of Eric, please visit www.mcgriffandtriplettfh.com.