Even after death, man continues to help animals

Published 10:26 pm Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Seven years ago, I wrote that I couldn’t find enough adjectives to describe Bob Jones, rescue driver for the Sarvey Wildlife Center in Arlington.

As he showed me an injured crow, Jones whispered sweet nothings to the frightened bird.

“This guy can’t fly, can’t find food, doesn’t understand why it hurts,” Jones said. “It can’t ask for help. It’s dead if Sarvey doesn’t get involved.”

I described Jones as love on two skinny legs. On call 24 hours a day, by his own choice, Jones maneuvered coyotes from traps, lifted falcons that slammed into buildings or picked up lost opossums from the side of the road.

Once, visiting his modest Edmonds home, Jones was dressed as usual, in scruffy clothing, unkempt due to little sleep. He had put 225,000 miles on a two-year-old van. He cruised anywhere, anytime, to retrieve injured animals and birds, with his dog, Billie, at his side.

He had scars up and down his arms from wrangling claws and fangs.

“I’m privileged to do this,” Jones said. “It’s one of the greatest jobs in the world.”

He died a few years ago, at age 61, from cancer. His buddy, Kaye Baxter, who founded Sarvey, died in July.

It was unclear if the Sarvey property would have to be sold.

Jeff Guidry, president of the center’s board of directors, knew where to look for a miracle. He had seen deep pockets.

Guidry knew Jones paid for the wildlife ambulance by himself, never taking a penny from the center.

“Bob gave thousands of dollars before when we were struggling,” Guidry said. “Kaye would be in tears. Bob would slide money under the table.”

And Jones had more to share.

Before he died, the van driver established a Wildlife Trust. Guidry helps manage the trust. They’ve dispensed money to other wildlife projects the past few years, anonymously, per Jones’ wishes.

Guidry also knew that saving Sarvey would have been a priority to the animal lover.

The trust board granted the center $380,000 to buy five acres of land.

Sarvey now owns the property it sits on.

They’ll be able to make some major repairs, too.

The winter storm caused extensive damage at the center, including collapsed pens for otters, waterfowl and eagles. Guidry and other volunteers spent Christmas morning shoveling snow to save what they could.

“We have big expenses,” Guidry said. “New eagle flights are pricey. They have to be safe for humans and birds.”

There was much discussion about revealing that Jones was Sarvey’s benefactor.

“Knowing Bob, if he had done this when he was alive, he would have said ‘Don’t tell anybody,’” Guidry said. “The Jones family should have some recognition.”

Jones would want money to go here, Guidry said.

Kristi O’Harran: 425-339-3451, [URL]oharran@heraldnet.com.[/URL]