Justice remembered for determination, loyalty
Everyone was important to Jon Justice.
At his Feb. 12 funeral service, a Central Michigan University student described a memory of the Farmington Hills senior.
Conor Sheehan, Justice's friend since middle school, recalled listening to the story, which described the kind of person Justice was.
"(The student) described how he had been thinking of dropping out of school," Sheehan remembered. "Jon sat in the car with him for two hours and by the end, had convinced him to stay in school. He's now pursuing a career as a teacher because of Jon's encouragement. It described exactly the caring person Jon was."
Justice was found dead in his Deerfield Village apartment late on Feb. 6. Though Michigan State Police has released little information about his death, Post Commander Lt. Larry Schloegl said alcohol appears to be a factor.
Justice was 23 years old.
A GoFundMe account has been set up by friends for Justice's family, and has raised more than $1,600 thus far. The goal is to raise $8,000 to give to Justice's family.
His friend for 11 years, Caleb Schonschack said memories like the one shared at Justice's funeral aren't unusual. He remembers Justice as a fiercely loyal friend. Justice was also a teacher, a comedian and one-of-a-kind person.
His determination will be one of his legacies, Schonschack said. It was his drive that got him to CMU, and to apply to law school. On the day of his death, Justice had just completed the LSAT.
Schonschack will always remember that no one loved as hard as Justice.
"At the drop of a hat, Jon would stop whatever he was doing, no matter how important, in order to help a friend," he said. "He also had an uncanny ability to make each person he talked to feel like they were the most important person in the world."
Though loyalty to friends was a priority, Sheehan said family always came first for Justice. He was proud of his older sister Emily, for becoming a nurse. Justice was an uncle to her four children. He was close with his brother, Timmy, and little brother Darrell especially, Sheehan said.
"Spending time with Darrell was extremely important to Jon," Sheehan said. "There were many times when Jon said 'no' to doing something with friends because he had plans to spend time with his little brother. I always liked and admired Jon for that."
Sheehan believes Justice would have probably have become a teacher or lawyer. Schonschack said he will never know a more entertaining storyteller or meet anyone with a more contagious laugh.
"I will never hear a laugh like Jon's again," he said. "It was the type of laugh that once heard, the entire room would break out in laughter. Whenever (he) would tell you a story, be prepared to have sore abs for a week."
Justice is remembered as someone who always encouraged others, pointing out their best qualities.
"Although he was only given 23 years of life, he gave me, and all those who loved him, a lifetime of memories," Schonschack said. "When you were around Jon, that was the best you were going to feel all day."
If you would like to share a memory about Jon Justice, send an email to news@cm-life.com.
