Rock Medicine lost another
On Friday November 23, 2001 Rock Medicine lost another long time volunteer, Jon “Black Jon” Meliza. Jon joined the “crew” through Mike Parry and was very familiar with Rock Medicine from his many years as a Grateful Dead “taper”. Jon enjoyed working in the supply section and was always a BIG help in the
“space station” working with our “IPR's”. 
Black Jon was born in 1946, joined he Navy when he was 18 and served on a destroyer in the South China Sea off the coast of Vietnam for two tours. Jon was an artisan that worked with leather, bone, and rare woods and when I think of it he worked in all phases of creativity. Many Rock Medicine volunteers have examples of his art.
I will miss Jon. He was a gentle bear of a man whose quick wit and sage advice were both entertaining and insightful. I always wondered where he received the nom do plume of Black Jon. Mike told me that he lived in a big house
at Lake Tahoe while he operated a leather shop. 
There were seven (7) Johns in the house so each one took a color with their name. Perhaps in hindsight he should have been called “Rainbow” but on second thought Jon would have my hide for even thinking of him as “Rainbow”.
Jon was survived by his mother and father, Victor and Peggy, of Lake Havsu, Arizona and his brother Ken of Illinois. Jon’s wishes were that there would be no memorials but he did not mention any parties…
Peace be with you Black Jon.
Raz, Rock Medicine, and the Haight Ashbury Free Clinics
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Mike & Black Jon
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