In Memory of the Remarkable Life of Robert Lee Jones, Sr.

Floor Speech

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Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the remarkable life of Robert ``Bob'' Lee Jones, Sr. On August 4, 2020, Bob returned to his creator after fulfilling a lifelong service as a visionary farmer and educator who helped shaped sustainable farming for Northern Ohio and America.

Born in Zanesville and raised in Huron, OH, Bob embraced farming as his birthright, passed down from his father, Melvin ``Pete'' Jones, a sheep farmer in Southern Ohio. He and his father shared a love for farming and Lyman wooden boats, while he and his mother, Marjorie ``Mimi'', enjoyed spending time at the Huron Lakefront Park.

Having agriculture in his DNA, Bob attended The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences and Bowling Green State University. Academically gifted and scientifically curious, he proudly collected and read a library of old and new agricultural and business volumes over his lifetime.

One of Bob's proudest and dearest accomplishments was his six-decade long marriage to his beloved high school sweetheart and wife, Barbara. His beautiful wife Barbara built their Garden Enterprise at his side, a partnership of love and botanical genius. Her racks of thousands of cookbooks and recipes formed foundation stones for the evolving Chefs' Garden that attracts the finest chefs in the world for advanced training. Together, they raised three remarkable children, Melvin ``Lee'', Terri Lynn, and Bob Jr., who will proudly continue their father's work.

The most prolific and enduring part of Bob's legacy was born out of persistence and the strength he and his family summoned to rise above. After suffering a setback in the 1980s, Bob and his family created the Chefs' Garden. The Chefs' Garden is a mixture of traditional farming, innovative food safety programs, and education that provides fresh vegetables, microgreens, herbs, edible flowers to chefs with an ``Earth-to-Table'' philosophy. For the past three decades, Bob lead his family to catapult their operation into a force, which provides chefs in 50 states and 14 countries with flavorful, sustainable, and high class produce.

Ever evolving, Bob's business became a botanical science campus, with plants and students from nearby and around the world coming to partake in his Culinary Vegetable Institute. The Institute is a world class educational, research, and event facility where chefs and their teams come to immerse themselves in revitalizing education or team building missions. Bob's dedication to his craft knew no bounds, and he wanted to share that with the chief benefactors of his mission, chefs.

Bob and Barbara's passion for education yielded their nationwide nonprofit-Veggie U. Nothing could equal ``Farmer Jones'' in his denim jeans trekking to schools everywhere with Grow Kits to educate children and teachers for the next generation about the magical power of the productive earth. Veggie U educates children on the processes of planting, growing, harvesting crops, as well as healthy eating strategies, in their classroom. They also offer a dedicated program for special needs students. The program has sprouted 8,300 classroom gardens and graduated 207,500 students in 36 states. Veggie U ensures Bob and his family's mission will remain steadfast for many generations to follow.

One of Bob's last gifts to his country came during the Coronavirus pandemic. He and his family were devising plans to get fresh produce to the needy well before federal assistance was implemented. They are patriots, participating in USDA's Farmers to Families Food Box program, providing their world-class produce to help feed those devastated by the pandemic. His desire to ensure people were properly nourished persisted until his last breath, and with the help of his beautiful family, will continue.

Robert Lee Jones, Sr. was a giant among men. His focus and dedication to agriculture never wavered and furthered the progress of American farming. I send my deepest condolences to his family, especially his beloved wife, children, grandchildren, and the many people who were touched by his life. May they find solace in the faith Bob held so dear, and may the angels raise him to a place of peace and comfort which he so richly deserves.

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