Friday, September 11, 2009

Eulogies from Jonathan's Emory friends

Dayne Katz

I am a college friend of Jon. There are many lessons I learned from Jon and I would like to share a few:

Friendship: Friendship is about being there for others without focusing on what you get in return. The first time I heard about Jon was when someone mentioned a story about him standing up for a friend who had been assaulted. When me and three friends were stranded in a remote part of Florida, it was Jon who drove 5 hrs to get us. Jon reminded me to be there.

Passion: Fill your life with passion, it's an easy way to show you care. When Jon spoke about a hobby or topic that was important to him, he showed tremendous energy and enthusiasm. There are few moments I remember with Jon that were not filled with laughter, mainly because he could fill a dull moment with energy. Jon reminded me to care.

Dream: Jon dreamed big and never let go of his dreams. Jon would end a full day by working late at night on scripts he hoped to turn into films. In fact some of his projects were completed and his skill and talent was apparent. Despite setbacks on projects Jon continued to create more. Jon reminded me to hold onto my dreams.

Self Belief: Jon stood up for himself even if that meant he stood alone. Jon was strong in his beliefs, dreams and opinions. Despite occasional challenges he was remarkably strong willed at standing his ground and defending his beliefs. Jon reminded me to stand up for myself.

I am grateful to have known Jon and glad to know his soul will live on in many of the decisions I will make. Amen.
____

Justin Karp

Jon Kleier was a man of many talents
A writer, comedian, filmmaker;
His work was getting better each year
He was a guy who always kept the conversation lively;
No topic was off-limits or too controversial for him
This made him someone who was fun to talk to,
But also someone you could tell anything
Because you knew he wouldn't judge you
But most importantly, he was a good friend
During college summers, whenever I needed a place to stay in the city
He was the first to offer his apartment
During winter breaks, whenever I was bored of staying with my grandparents
He invited me to stay with him at the Boca Beach Club
I spent several memorable winter breaks with Jon and his family in Boca
Jon, we had a great time's together man
Forever, you will be missed.
___

Jared Seff

I went to Emory University with Jon. Jon had 5 passions in life. Family, friends, and of course Larry David, the Sopranos, and the Notorious BIG. In all seriousness, Jon was one of my closest friends and someone who I could talk to about relationship problems and anything else that came to mind. He was one of the boys who I could always grab a beer with or just hang out at one of our apartments. Jon and I had a special bond with music. Even this past week we exchanged emails and texts about our shared anticipation of an upcoming album. Growing up in South Florida, I would always look forward to winter breaks when we would spend time together in Boca. Perhaps the greatest lesson I learned from Jon was his passion and dedication to any goal he set his eyes on. Throughout college, Jon was working on a script for a television series he hoped to submit to HBO. For my graduation present he gave me two signed autograph copies of two episodes he finished writing. Those scripts will forever symbolize his passion to achieve any dream no matter how difficult. I love you Jon and forever you will be in my heart.

____

Corey Cohen

Jon and I became fast friends within the first few days of meeting freshman year. His room quickly became the favorite hangout spot of our “crew,” as he always referred to us as, because of the gigantic green leather couch that took up the entire room - Jon always did it Big. The next year Jon and I decided to get an apartment together. Jon set two essential rules from the beginning when we were setting up the place. The first was that the fridge needed to look EXACTLY like one that we would see on MTV cribs, this was our top priority and we took care of it quickly. The second was that we had to get two of those comfortable recliner chairs just like Joey and Chandler from Friends. This was non-negotiable, and turned out to be the best idea ever. I think that is what I’ll remember most about Jon. The little things – playing video games for hours, driving around Atlanta, or just sitting in our chairs talking about life, music and anything else that came to mind. I know that if I am ever sad or upset, all I have to do is think of any of the countless memories, and stories that we’ve had over the years with Jon, and I’ll immediately laugh and feel better on the spot. For that, I will always be grateful.

____

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