A celebration of the life of “the Major”

| 10/10/2008

(CNS): Following the passing of Stephen Hall Jones, aka the Major, on the morning of Monday, 6 October, at his home in George Town, his friends and colleagues are invited to a celebration of his life at the Rugby Club in South Sound, Saturday 11 October at 7:00 pm. Organisers said that in keeping with the Major’s express wishes this is to be a happy occasion with "no tears" and bright, casual dress and no ties.

Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to Cayman Hospice Care at PO Box 10614, George Town Grand Cayman KY1-1006 or via Diamond Law Associates. A Barrister and Attorney at Law, Hall-Jones served with the British Royal Iniskilling Fusiliers in the 1960s and 1970s. For six years he was a senior crown counsel and at one point an Acting Solicitor General in the Chambers of the Attorney General.

Described by many of his friends as a wonderful attorney who stood up for the underdog, the Major is a great loss to the community as well as his family and close friends. An entertaining and erudite commentator he also wrote a regular column for Cayman Net News until he became too ill to continue.

Carol Hay, who penned “My take…For what it’s worth” also in Net News and often sparred with him on the page, said  that while he infuriated her he managed to be likable and lovable at the same time. She recalls their last meeting a few months ago, for day-old spaghetti. “The Major humorously dubbed it “The Last Supper”…and he was right, for that was the last time I saw him,” she said. “Despite his cantankerous ways and ability to wind me up, I respected (almost envied) his scholarly wit.”

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  1. Anonymous says:

    A Major loss to Cayman!

     

    May he rest in Peace.  He worked hard for the rest.

  2. Mike Hennessy says:

    The Major was one of the most memorable characters to come to my attention during my brief stay in Cayman. I never gotthe chance to meet him in person, but we exchanged e-mails up until just a few short months ago.  He was witty, direct and obviously of no mind to dwell on his health issues.

    I hope the good people who gather at the Rugby club will honor his wishes and celebrate a marvelously full and interesting life.  I would also hope that since I can’t be there in person that someone will take it on themselves to hoist a pint in the Major’s memory for me.

     

  3. A colleague who will miss him dearly says:

    I had the pleasure (ok sometimes he could be annonying but how many of us aren’t)  of working with Mr. Hall-Jones, he was an articulate,passionate, warm and bright individual who truly was gunning for the underdog. 

    I remember sitting in on a trial where he was defending 3 Cubans and watching him , I realized that he did it because he genuinely loved doing what he does. He was passionate about his causes.  Needless to say he won that trial.  I remember when landlords were overcharging their tenants or kicking them out after Ivan, he was the only one actively going after them.  Not for money but because he genuinely cared.

    Even in his last days he was hard at work, rarely asking for a break, you just knew something was really troubling him when he did ask for one.  I don’t think his pride allowed him to, some people would just sit back and just waste the rest of their life away when they found out that they were terminally ill, not Mr. Hall-Jones.  He just pushed along. It is truly sad to see such a man go.

    Even though it saddens me at his passing, I  will try to keep with his wishes of no tears and happiness.  RIP my friend.

     

     

  4. Graham Walker says:

    It is a great loss to the island. From his writings it would appear that he had no humility but I am certain the opposite is true. Maybe he used his writings to cover up a genuinely good man.

  5. Anonymous says:

    "And another thing!"  Dearest Stephen Hall-Jones,

    Rest in Peace and thank you for making the past ten years a little more thoughtful in Cayman.