In Memoriam 7 As the commencement ceremony of the graduating class of 2016 gets closer, our hearts are still heavy. The graduating class, along with the rest of RHS will continue to remember and honor Joe Manfreda and Julius Jones. They will be deeply missed, but will always be in our hearts.
Joeseph Manfreda
It was an emotionally difficult time for our community when Joe Manfreda passed away. Anyone will agree that he was taken too soon from us, but in his short 16 years, he positively affected every person’s life he encountered. Manfreda was number one in the class, slated to be the valedictorian. There was no doubt that Manfreda worked hard in everything he pursued. Manfreda was a wrestler, ran track and cross country, and more than excelled in his academics. He was always full of energy and had a huge heart. No matter what it was, Manfreda would always go the extra mile to help others, or even just to see someone else smile. The Dream Dash was renamed in his honor, The Joe Manfreda Dream Dash. Also a scholarship, “You’ve Got a Friend In Me”, was named after him.
Julius Jones
Death of anyone is a horrific tragedy. It is worse when it is unexpected, and it is someone else’s fault. Julius Jones was an 18-year-old senior at RHS, looking forward to graduating and joining the military. Unfortunately, on March 12 around 1:40 a.m., he was taken away due to a tragic drunk driving accident. There were a total of four people inside the 1996 Lincoln Mark VIII; two former students: Keyon Simmons and Dante Carson and one other current student, Marcus Wiley. In remembrance of Jones, SADD dedicated a brick in the athletic stadium so that Jones will forever be remembered along with the lives he had touched. It reads: “In Memory of Julius Jones Class of ’16.”