Faithful follower of Christ, beloved husband, devoted father, treasured son, loyal friend.
OBITUARY
October 2, 1987 - September 10, 2022
Jonathan Dean Tjarks went to be with his Savior on September 10, 2022 after a courageous battle with Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare bone cancer. He would have turned 35 in October. Jon loved the Lord, his family, and his friends. He was a devoted husband and father, and his beloved wife Melissa and precious son Jackson were his pride and joy. Jon cared about each individual, and even in casual conversation, he made people feel deeply known and deeply loved. He asked the most intentional (and sometimes uncomfortable) questions, and always listened attentively to each answer. Jon was himself no matter the company, and his easygoing nature made everyone feel at ease around him. He often started his conversations with “what is your hot take?” and ended with “what can I be praying on for you?”
Jon was brilliant, curious, and loved to read books by “old dead guys”. He had a passion for history and philosophy, and he was always open to having his opinion changed by sound logic. This mindset allowed Jon to encounter God when he was 25, and his life was radically changed. Afterward, Jon’s mission was to tell people about Jesus’ unconditional love. Jon’s relationship with Jesus changed him so much that he couldn’t help but share his story, and he did it with gentle kindness and care.
Jon grew up in Dallas, Texas and was the only child of Larry and Bernadette Tjarks. He graduated from St. Mark’s School of Texas in 2005. He went on to earn a BA in Plan II Honors Psychology from The University of Texas in 2009. After college, Jon attended Columbia Law School… for a day. He looked at the student loan paperwork, decided that he’d rather not get into student debt, and moved back to Dallas to write about basketball for a living. While building his career, Jon wrote for Real GM and SB Nation, and freelanced for many other publications. He launched his own blog called The Pattern of Basketball in 2014. In 2016, he landed his dream job at The Ringer. His career exploded, yet he stayed humble while he continued writing and podcasting about basketball. Jon lived his life to the fullest and found ways to be thankful each day despite the pain that his cancer brought.
Jon left a strong legacy of faith, hard work, friendship, and love. He will be greatly missed. We cannot wait to be reunited with him in heaven. He is survived by his wife, Melissa Kibby Tjarks, two-year-old son, Jackson Tjarks, mom, Bernadette Abrera Tjarks, in-laws, Rob and Leslie Kibby, and many more beloved family members. He is preceded in death by his dad, Larry Tjarks, and cousin, Marcus Somerstein.
Celebration of Life
“The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our Lord stands forever”
Jon loved flowers, but he loved blessing other people even more. Plus, our homes are already overflowing with so many beautiful arrangements. In lieu of flowers, we request that donations in Jon’s memory be made to:
Antioch Community Church Dallas, Jon, Melissa, and Jackson’s amazing church community that has been the hands and feet of Jesus to us throughout Jon’s battle with cancer.
Denison Ministries, Melissa’s passionate calling that Jon supported wholeheartedly. Denison Ministries provides transformational content to resource and equip Christians.
Forerunner Mentoring, a ministry that provides one-on-one mentorship to boys growing up in fatherless homes. Forerunner also provides support and resources for the single moms raising these young men. Jon volunteered at Forerunner and was passionate about their mission.
