Jonathan Stills is shown at the ‘Dust Off’ Military Memorial dedication ceremony in June 2023. He sang the National Anthem as part of the program. Sentinel file photo.
BY DONNA MACKENZIE
In the epic book Les Miserables, author Victor Hugo wrote these words: “To Love Another Person Is To See The Face Of God” and those words are the last spoken words of the beloved musical before the finale. If those words are true, then Lima native Jonathan Stills saw the face of God many times as he lived those words through his life of kindness, generosity, service and love. The impact of his life was shown this past weekend as friends and community members in Lima, Honeoye Falls and beyond waited in a long line to pay their respects to his family on Saturday, August 30 during calling hours at Elim Life Church in Lima and filled much of the church again at his funeral service on Sunday, August 31.
Stills tragically passed away following a car accident on Wednesday, August 27, 2025. He was 40 years old but touched countless lives in those 40 years.
Born and raised in Lima, Stills graduated from Honeoye Falls-Lima High School in 2003. He was on the school’s varsity track team, competing in the sprints and relays and in the jumping events.
“I was fortunate to coach Jon as well as his brother and sister,” recalled retired boys track coach Bernie Gardner. “What a great family. He was a kid that you wanted to have on your team as a coach. He had such a positive attitude, encouraging his teammates. I remember during a sectional championship, he was in the long jump where you get only three jumps. He had not done as well as he wanted to on his first two jumps and was down to his last jump. He took a deep breath at the end of the runway, ran and hit the takeoff board and he nearly got the school record. He finished second in the event and got us the crucial points that allowed us to take the title. Later when he was a young adult, I would see him around town or driving a bus. He was very amiable; you just felt better after talking to him. I can’t help but smile when I think of Jon.”
Stills also was a gifted musician and singer at HF-L. He sang in the Mixed Choir and Select Choir under Jan Zoesch, who retired in 2003, and played euphonium in the concert band directed by Andy Vetter and also was in the high school’s musical Once Upon A Mattress in his junior year (2002). Although retired teacher Mark Borden did not direct Stills in either the Wind Ensemble or Jazz Ensemble, he did have Stills for lessons on the euphonium and Stills was in the reunion band that played at Borden’s retirement party a couple of years ago.
“It’s heartbreaking,” Borden said. “You just don’t find someone as genuine as Jon was, not just when he was a student, but as an adult. He always showed his love and he approached life with such joy.”
“Jon was a doll,” Zoesch wrote in an email to the newspaper. “He kept me laughing and was a terrific singer of course. He was so willing to do anything. He was a great singer of the Star-Spangled Banner before any event. This is so heart-breaking.”
After high school, Stills attended Monroe Community College and earned an Associate’s degree in criminal justice. A hard worker, he was an aide for people with special needs, advocating for their dignity and their inclusion. He was also a popular school bus driver for HF-L where he was known by the students as the “singing bus driver”.
Stills co-owned Premier Party Entertainment, delighting audiences as a DJ and as a wedding singer, and Premier Party Rentals, providing tents, tables, chairs and bounce houses for innumerable celebrations. His magnetic personality and his magnificent voice were a perfect fit for the business. Stills competed on American Idol twice. He performed the National Anthem prior to a U.S. Olympic women’s soccer game and also locally for many events, including at the opening of the Military Memorial for the three New York National Guard soldiers killed in a January 2021 helicopter crash in Mendon.
His life of service extended to other organizations in the Lima and Honeoye Falls communities. He served with the Honeoye Falls Fire Department from 2006-2013 and was an interior-qualified firefighter. He was an EMT and ambulance driver with the Lima Volunteer Ambulance Corps from 2006-2023. Most recently, his commitment of serving the community of Lima led him to be elected as a Village of Lima Trustee this past March. He received the most votes of all candidates with 262.
Perhaps Stills’ greatest example of showing generosity, kindness, love and service is the non-profit he founded in 2021. “Love Leads Us” was created by Stills to fight racism through love-based initiatives and it has also organized peace walks, established food cabinets that serve as a second food pantry to the community, complimenting the Lima Food Cupboard, and has provided Thanksgiving meals for those in need as well as supported victims of fires and families facing other hardships. He truly lived out the commandment to “Love One Another”.
Stills is survived by his loving wife of six years, Bethany (Wolf) Stills (a graduate of Lima Christian School), their three children Robby Parsons, Laelynn Parsons and Luna Stills; his mother Brenda Stills; his sister Ashonte (Erik) Thomas; brother David Stills (Melissa Roldan-Stills); and nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his father William Stills.
A Go Fund Me has been created to help the family with expenses or you can also mail a donation for the family to Lima Rotary Club or memorial gifts can also be made by check to NFS FBO Bethany Stills and mailed to Todd Harris, 2590 Brighton Henrietta Townline Road, Rochester, NY 14623.
