Jon Dechau
JWD cycling team is deeply saddened by the loss of our friend and team mate Jon Dechau. New to the team this year, Jon was the first Cat 1 rider to race for our squad. During his tenure on the team, Jon re-affirmed what we already knew, he is a superb athlete, and more importantly, he was a man of the highest character. Whether you knew Jon for years, or had just met him on a group ride, his spirit, kindness and positive attitude always left an indelible impression.
Jon came to our team as a part of a new phase in his life. Fatherhood and a new career, left less time for preparing for the rigors of Cat 1 racing. Jon recognized the importance of his new roles in life, and fortunately for us, it brought him to the JW Dundees Cycling Team. We are grateful for the time we could have him on the team.
Jon will be missed by all the people whose lives he touched. Our condolences go out to Jon's family and friends
Over that past few days many people have left comments regarding their experience with Jon Boy, please take a few minutes to look at those. Also Terry Wherry has posted a photographic tribute to Jon HERE.
Learn about Jon's legacy and how you can help. A PayPal account has been set up by the GVCC to help the family's immediate needs. Learn more by clicking here.
posted by taylor at 9/14/2006 09:00:00 AM
21 Comments:
Rest In Peace, Jon. We will never forget you.
Bob
It is always hard to lose a friend or someone that you know through your like interests. I’m truly sadden by the loss of Jon at it was only yesterday that I emailed him about the Tuesday night race in which we wanted a rematch with Preferred Care for the dinner.
I just raced with him last Thursday at the Webster TT and talked after like we always did! I didn’t know Jon as well as others in my life but I still feel that his death was “close to home”. We will all get through this and ride again and maybe get a win in his name!
I have lived the last 20+ years of my life “one day at a time” and today that seems to be a good thing! I hope one day Jon to join you in heaven and ride together. We will all miss you , Dwight
Jon Boy, you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. There aren't words for the shock and sadness. I won't forget your smile, good nature, and spirit. Yvette
It was an honor to know Jon and compete against him.
In one of my first A races a few years ago Jon and I were in a break together. He offered me encouragement and advice.
At a Fisher's Crit earlier this year it was a pure dog fight amongst the break in the last 10 laps. Attacking and counter attacking non-stop. Jon was relentless.
At Thater in 2005, last lap, Jon sped by on the inside and took that last corner faster than I thought was possible on a bike. I still can't believe he did not dump it. He was leading out his teammate who went on to win the field sprint.
I'll miss Jon joking around in the peloton, his smile, and his rosey cheeks when he was pouring it on.
Thank you Jon, you gave to us.
Brian
I remember the first time I met Jon, it must have been 1991, when we first moved back in the area. After all the years, and miles and races, the one thing Jon would always remember about our first encounter was the first time I qualified for Empires in Syracuse in 1991 and I asked Bob Deroo if we were supposed to ride in the aero bars for the team time trial. Jon would always get a chuckle out of that, and so started our time racing together that summer.
When I look back over 15 years at who is left still racing bikes, the list is not very long. Jon was not only one of this small group that rode through over a decade and a half, he was one of the strongest. Jon stayed with it because he had a contagious love for the sport. No matter how dismal the weather, how difficult the race, Jon would always find the smallest glimmer of positive in the situation and ride right up to you in the middle of the pack in the driving rain and announce that his legs felt pretty good today or somesuch. I never heard Jon complain, not when his opportunity to race as a professional fell through, a disappointment which must have been so bitter for a young man who dreamed for years of that one chance. Never complained when he was working long hours as an iron worker and losing some of his fitness, never complaining when the responsibilities of a family kept him busy. Jon would throw a leg over the bike and do his best, when he was flying or when he was struggling, he was always positive, happy and genuinely interested in all of the faces and people connected with the sport.
I have some memories of Jon over the years that make me laugh or cry:
I remember Jon driving around in this Chevrolet Cavalier, possibly one of the worst cars ever made. True to form, Jon had nothing but positive things to say about it and proceeded to drive it all over the east coast to bike races.
I remember when Jon snuck an air conditioner into Empire Games at Buffalo State.
I remember the only time I recall Jon getting mad about something and it only lasted about an hour. Through some horseplay, Jon's fan got broken when we were at the Games in Albany. Losing your fan in those hot dorms was a big deal and the guilty parties attempted a repair with tire glue which lead to the fan flying apart in an mangled heap upon Jon's flipping the switch. He laughed about it the next day and for years after.
I remember when Jon was starting out and he would make enough money for gas by weeding Mrs. Stookie's garden down the street when he lived in Rushville. I was able to visit there once, I remember his parents were such down to earth people living in this big farm house, his dad was this mountain of a man who worked in construction all his life and they kept these great big rotwiler dogs in the house.
On a ride once from Wyoming county, we stopped by Jon's grandmother's house, which I'm thinking was in Stafford over on route 5. She kept giving us more cookies and filled up our water bottles for us, it was like we were the conquering heroes to be out riding in the cold. They were the nicest people and were so proud of their grandson, they just beamed.
When I was staying home to raise my young son, Jon was sort of living down the road in East Betheny, I say sort of because he spent most of his week in Albany working at a job site and would commute home for the weekends. Every now and again, he would be home and would stop by on his way out for a ride, all professional looking in his Preferred Care kit with a clear plastic jacket stuffed in his back pocket just in case, heading out to attack the hills. He'd just stop by to say hello, not fill up his bottles or borrow some tools, just to say hello to Evan and I while we were loafing around the house reading Clifford. We were just guys who raced bikes together, but Jon would make a point to stop by for no reason, just because he could and that was the kind of guy he was.
I remember when we raced together and won money, we'd give it all to Jon and maybe Wednesday the next week you'd get a check in the mailbox with your cut, plus a gasoline factor, calculated right to the penny.
I remember riding back from a Giro race in Buffalo, talking with Jon about being a dad. I talked about how it changed my life and made me complete and Jon related that he had grown up in a house where his parents raised many foster children over the years, so parenting was just part of his life from the get go. I remember driving home thinking this guy has all the tools to be a great dad, I hope they have a bunch of kids- he has patience, is unflappable, has strong faith and brings happiness to others. What a great dad, I thought. This one makes me cry to write.
For all of the great memories I have of this life cut too short, I have to close with a tremendous sadness I feel for the people who were left behind. To me, Jon was a guy that I bumped shoulders with on the weekends and shared a few laughs with in the parking lot. I am so very sad for my own loss, but I feel a larger sadness for those who knew him as a husband, father, son or grandson. In this life, Jon stepped up and did what was needed to be a good father and provider, so many miles we have traveled from the fresh faced kid I knew in 1991. God speed, my friend.
Aaron consaul
Jon boy, was a perfect name for him, he was wholesome, true to his faith, a loving country boy.
I was always called knuckle head, and he always told my how uncoachable I was.
Jon called me before every race and after, he would have an email waiting for my when I time trialed and he didn't. Wanting to know the wind conditions the weather, how well I warmed up, IF I LISTEND TO HIS COACHING ADVISE AND STARTED OUT EASY. Over the last few weeks with the time trials I was getting closer and closer to his times (he use to beat me by 2 -3.5 minutes over 10 miles) I was getting with in seconds of his times. He emailed this:
Great ride tonight Aaron, I'm proud of you, now go do 30 1 min. repeats
Tomorrow with 10 sec. recovery that should do you in for the rest of the
Year.
Jon boy
This was his way of saying how proud he was of me. And I laughed ... now I cry when I read it because I miss him so deeply.
when Jon was working in Albany, missing his family, longing to ride more, I got him a job working with me ( I just about had to beg them ) he excelled, as expected, he was coaching people and getting paid well for it. Perfect!! We rode every day at lunch. We took tons of slack for that, walking through a professional building in orange and blue or black, red and yellow spandex with funny shoes. Nobody understood at first, but they saw a passion, and respected us for that. that passion was what jon was all about - if you have ever been around his father and mother you know why he had this "passion"
in him.
every day Jon would call on his way to work, at what seemed way too early, knowing I would not be answering the phone he would leave some funny message or some instructions of how to race that day or of who we needed to pray for.
I have so many memories of Jon boy. I am deeply saddened that I won’t be able to see him until I am called to the Lord. God has one of his soldiers next to him - Jon boy.
Pray for the woman who hit him that she may find peace with her self and the Lord - Jon boy would want it that way
We love you Jon, and I will miss the chance to beat you in a tt until I see you in heaven ... so keep riding
love ya Jon boy
I don’t remember exactly when I met Jon, I guess it must be about 17 years ago. We only came together at cycling events but over 17 years that has added up to a lot of time. I do remember a good teenage kid who along the way he became a fine young man and of late a happy family man. You may not always see the real person when you only see them in one setting. But Jon was very transparent, clearly a very good guy, Mr. Positive. The pictures say it all, the gritty determined face of intense competition and the big smile before and after.
Countless times climbing in places like Olean or the ESG’s as I was shattered off the back of the 4’s or the master’s race, struggling up some big climb, inevitably the front of the 1,2 or early on 3 race would come by. As the intense Jon would pass by the smiling Mr. Positive would pop out and spend some of that precious energy and oxygen to shout some encouraging words to me. Jon-boy was having fun and spreading that joy around.
I’ll miss putting the hammer down with Jon in the club races because working with Jon resulted in goodness and fun on the bike. A couple years back in Victor I was off the front alone for a couple laps, I knew someone was coming across, but wasn’t sure who. I wasn’t looking back. Then I heard that familiar voice “come on Chuck, we can stay way – I need 7 points to move up in the standings – you let me take the prime and second place at the finish and we’ll work together”. He must have been thinking up that 7 point story on the chase across. Yea, I “let” Jon have the prime and “let” him stay with me for second place. There was a big Jon-boy smile at the finish, I think he was quite happy he managed to drive me home to the finish.
In recent years we shared some words about cycling and family life and it was clear he found another joy in life. He lost a bit of the edge on his cycling because he wanted to put that edge on his family.
Jon had asked if I wanted to go to the Presque Isle Time Trial with him today. Is it too late to change my mind? There’s no where I rather be right now than tooling along I-90 with aching legs, analyzing the days race, driving him home to his family.
Thanks to all the Dechau's for sharing Jon with us,
Chuck H.
I had the privilege of being coached by Jon, as well as working with him. Last racing season Jon approached me with a proposition - he wanted to trade services. He offered to coach me if I would do some work for him, so I happily agreed.
Jon immediately got me on a training schedule & started to call me on a regular basis to see how I was doing. He would always have some smart comment or advice for me - I'm sure it was his way of motivating me with a little laugh mixed in.
Later in the year he expressed an interest in attending classes to obtain a Real Estate license. We talked several times & he decided that's what he wanted to do. He & his wife Deb both signed up for to take the Real Estate classes & started to interview with Real Estate companies. When he made his choice, I'm pleased to say that he & his wife chose to join our Real Estate office. I have helped train the both of them & they make a great team. I really enjoyed working with Jon & getting to know him as a person, as well as a competitor.
Jon is about as determined & fierce a competitor you could ever find. I have never seen a picture of him racing where he doesn't have his patented expression of pain & intensity. Racing with Jon has been both a pleasure & painful (as many of you can attest to). He lived for the competition & to have to chance to beat you heads up.
When it came to Time Trialing - Jon was in a league of his own. Whenever I clocked a good TT time, he would always congratulate me & give me encouragement - but in the same breath, he would tell me how bad he would beat me at the next TT. I never did beat Jon and I'm sure he's got one of those big Jon smiles on right now.
Jon's experience & dedication to my training made me a better cyclist, but more importantly, the time spent with Jon made me a better person. He challenged me (as a competitor & a coach) and found a way to bring out the best in me.
I'm proud to say that Jon & I are friends and he will be missed - not only by me, but everyone that knew him. Until we meet again...
Your friend,
Dano
I've known Jon since about 1990, when he first started racing bikes and I was still living in Buffalo. He was, from the beginning, about the most honest, genuinely nice almost-to-a-fault guy you'd ever meet. Probably the nicest guy I've ever met in cycling.
I have memories of travelling to races together, staying at the Blue Moon Inn befor the Gloversville/Johnstown races. We were teammates at Empire State Games, suffering in the 100km TTT to win a medal in '96. I'll remember Jon's face turning red as he pushed it to the limit or was pushed to the limit. I'll never forget him cheering for me as I had the good fortune to make a break at the Chris Thater race in '98. I'll remember training with him in the hills around Lake Canandaigua that same year...
Our lives have taken us in different directions, but we still have the bike tying us together. I'm absolutely stunned and saddened to hear of his passing. Jon, you big goofball, I'll miss you and can't believe you're gone. You will be missed and remembered...
Peace be with your wife and beautiful children during this difficult time. I can't find the words to express how deeply saddened I am by such a tragic and thoughtless act on the part of the driver. She will have negatively impacted so many lives and she can't even fathom the void she has created.
My deepest sympathies, David
Jon, you were a great competitor and an even better person. Rest in peace. You will not be forgotten.
Nathan
It was August 25th,(2006) less than 24 before our charity cycling event. There were over 140 people pre-registered, and I had only one person to drive a support vehicle. My phone rang, and it was Jon. "My son's baseball game was re-scheduled," he said, "and I have the morning free. I'd like to do what I can to help out my team, and Interlakes, and the Ride. Do you still need someone to drive tomorrow?" And Saturday morning, there he was, adorned in JW Dundee jersey, rosy cheeks, Crest smile and baggy shorts, at 7:00am, ready to hit the road fixing flats.
I never got to know Jon as well as his fellow cyclists did, yet since last Thursday morning, I've thought of him day and night. And at the memorial service I felt so blessed that his family and dearest friends shared their souls and heartaches. What a priceless gift. As long as I live, I shall remember that incredible arrangement of Amazing Grace, sung with such beauty and courage by his beautiful Debbie.
Thank you Jon, for gracing us with your humor, skills and your humanity. You have set a standard for living a life grounded in Christ, family and friends that I will always aspire to live up to.
Mary Jeanne
I had the good fortune of having met Jon early in his cycling career and when I was new to the cycling scene in Rochester....Our first meeting was when we were both late for a Pedaller's ride in May of 1991. He was a young kid and I a veteran of 15 years of racing...within minutes of starting our chase of the group he was breaking my legs! As was his way, he didn't boast or gloat...he just offered to pull longer. That was his way...of course, we caught the group--Jon would have it no other way.
This is scary. My wife and I were in the same area last week while I was interviewing for a position at SUNY Geneseo. We have a family farm close by and are thinking about retiring in the area because we thought it would be a safe place to ride. When I read this, I trembled, having been hit 9 times in the 30+ yrs on the bike. It's the same situation in other areas of Western NY - drivers traveling too fast and not paying attention on quiet, country roads. Our sympathies to Jon and his family, and the Genesee club.
Jon and I first met back in 1990. I was 16 years old, and he was 17. We started riding together a bit and then traveling to out of town junior races together with Lew Perna. We were all eager to race bikes and were filled with the kinds of dreams and enthusiasm that only exist when you haven’t yet had a taste of the real world. Jon and I spent many miles riding our bikes around Canandaigua Lake together with the occasional detour up Gannet or Bopple hill. Suffering and enjoying it as only someone who rides a bike can. We learned to race from each other and talked on the phone nearly every night. Although I haven’t called Jon’s parents house in at least 8 years I still have the number fondly committed to memory. 554-4283. Rick usually answered the phone and gave me a hard time before handing the phone over to Jon. The conversation may have been about what time we were going to meet for the club race, where we would meet to ride the next day, whether he had been able to find a hotel for the weekend’s race, or why he hadn’t returned my trispoke from the time trial on the parkway Tuesday night.
Our lives were parallel for such a long time. I worked at Park Ave Bikeshop at one end of Parkway plaza in Canandaigua and Jon worked at McDonald’s which was at the other end. We lifted weights together, rode trainers and rollers at each others houses during the winter and tried to come up with ways to make “easy money” so that we could spend more time riding than working to finance our cycling habits. Each spring brought with it hopes of racing well. Whitney Point, Greek Peak, Olean, Johnstown/Gloversville, The Electric City Stage Race and others. So many years, so many memories.
Although I eventually quit racing about 6 or 7 years ago, I still remained great friends with Jon. We would call each other and e-mail each other regularly and it was always great to hear about his cycling accomplishments. As the time ticked by though, our conversations slowly drifted away from cycling and focused more on life in general. Jon was struggling a bit in recent years on the bike. The feelings of getting dropped on a climb or spit out the back were probably a bit foreign to him as he usually was up front in the break or thinking about his next attack, but I could tell that he still loved being around the sport. We talked a lot recently about the new home that they just purchased, and the dreams he had to put an addition on the house…what life would be like now that he had a baby girl in his life. Once again Jon’s life and mine were starting to become parallel. My wife and I just bought our first house and we ended up closing on it a few weeks after Deb and Jon closed on theirs. I sought real estate advice and learned of the process about buying a house from Jon. For the last year or so Jon and I had planned on getting together for dinner. Sadly it never happened. We put other trivial commitments first and neither of us took the time out of our schedules to really get together. It’s probably one of my biggest regrets in life thus far. The last time I rode with Jon was two years ago on a charity ride around Canandaigua Lake. We chatted most of the day and reminisced about old times. Last week when I heard of the accident I felt as though I had lost a brother. In fact I had. Not only was Jon a great friend but he felt like family.
My wife and I are still unpacking our house after moving to Syracuse from Buffalo. Last night I came upon a box of pictures filled with Jon and I as we were growing up racing bikes and hanging out with each other. I stopped unpacking and sat on the living room floor and sorted out some pictures to give to his family. Everywhere I look there are memories of Jon.
Jon’s cell number is still in my address book in my cell phone. Even though Jon has passed there really isn’t any reason to remove it. When I go to make a call and have to scroll though my list of contacts I see Jon’s name and number and I smile.
Hey bud, thanks for the memories and for being my best friend as we grew up together and found out what life was all about. I won’t soon forget you!
-Bob
I met Jon 13 years ago when his Mom and I became fast friends. If he came home and was down from a race, his Dad would say "Awe you Thumbsucking Bedwetter, just go faster next time". Those were actually words of encouragement and Jon would grin that big grin of his and know that his dad was behind whetever he did. Jon will be missed by the Olds family.
Sue Olds
Our son Yuri just began his freshman year at RIT in August. Since there is no active club at the school, we urged him to contact GVCC so he could find some people to ride with. Jon was one of the riders he connected with, who made made him feel welcome. After one of the club rides, Yuri called and told us he had met a really nice guy who was very friendly, and who made him feel right at home. This connection, tragically, was not longstanding. But we wanted to acknowledge it, with gratitude. Jon was obviously a man who made a positive impression on many people. We are grateful to him for taking the time to befriend a young person in a new place. We send his family and the club our profound condolences, and we will always remember the kindness he extended to our son.
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Such a tragedy when ones life is robbed prematurely while in the midst of their prime.
My heart goes out to the Dechau family.
Zoran
Iraq
My son, John, was a Cat 2 racer when he was killed in California while on a training ride by a driver under the influence of methamphetamine just 5 days before Jon died. He was only 31 years old. My heart goes out to Jon's friends, but mostly to his parents and his family. I know how much this continues to hurt and still wonder, as you probably do, when will the pain from this great loss end. I wish you peace and I am so sorry for your loss.
Mother of John Eric Peckham
Tomorrow night at 6:15 PM it will be a year that Jon went to be with the Lord. I still cant believe it. I pray for Deb and the kids daily and my brother Rick and family too. Reading all these posts has been helpful in keeping Jon's memory alive. I ache still but am so proud of all the lives he touched for God. Miss you deeply Jon. Love and Prayers, Aunt Laurie
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