Final ride

By BOB WHITE

Jill Pickett

A bike bag holding the remains of Terry Jones sits with other items in memory of Jones on Wednesday at the Brown Funeral Home in Elizabethtown.

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Jill Pickett

Kathy Jones rides behind her son Thomas, right, along with other bikers to Brown Funeral Home in Elizabethtown on Wednesday in memory of her husband, Terry Jones. He was riding his motorcycle along Ky. 313 when he was killed in a head-on collision last Th

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bwhite@thenewsenterprise.com

ELIZABETHTOWN — Not even in death would Terence Jones ride backseat passenger on a motorcycle.

The 53-year-old Harley-Davidson fanatic lived to ride and rode to live. Close friends describe Terry as the type of guy who would ride for an hour, then spend three hours cleaning his bike.

Jones’ life ended last Thursday when police say an oncoming car crossed the Ky. 313 center line and collided with him head-on — killing Jones instantly and seriously injuring the other driver.

While the last time he felt the wind in his face and the throttle in his hand ended tragically, the fatal ride wasn’t his last.

On Wednesday, a family of bikers who grew to know Jones through dozens of poker runs, memorial rides and benefits, joined together to ride alongside Jones one last time.

At Brown Funeral Home, Jones’ ashes were tucked into a leather motorcycle bag recovered from Thursday’s wreckage. It was one of but a few items that survived last week’s crash.

With Thomas, Jones’ youngest of three sons, at the controls and Kathy, Jones’ wife, holding his ashes over the front seat to ensure he’d never have to ride passenger, Jones made one last ride home with a family of bikers as his escort.

“Everything was planned just the way he wanted it,” said longtime friend Gary Fraley. “We respected his wishes.”

Thomas Jones prayed a bit of media attention would remind motorists to keep an eye out for motorcyclists.

“It's senseless,” Kathy Jones said. “This didn't have to happen.”

Bob White can be reached at (270) 505-1750.