Richard (Jake) Jacob Hollon

Richard Jacob Hollon, “Jake” to all who knew him, passed away unexpectedly on May 30, 2022, at his home in Kansas City, Missouri.  He was 26.

Born to Verl and Kerri Hollon on May 16, 1996, he taught his parents what real love was.  His parents used to fight over whose turn it was to feed and hold him.  He was such a good baby and toddler that his parents were emboldened enough to have a couple more, giving Jake 2 sisters, Jordan and Shelby.

Jake grew up on a small farm in western Putnam County.  His grandmother lived a mile down the gravel road on a large century farm that became his backyard playground.  He and his sisters used to love playing in the creek and feeding their bottle calves.  He was driving in the pasture by the time he was 6, much to his mother’s dismay.  He loved animals and he was a bit of a cattle whisperer as he could calmly walk behind a wayward animal and get it easily where he wanted it to go.

Jake graduated from Putnam County High School in 2014 before going on to attend North Central Missouri College and Northwest Missouri State University.  He had a great work ethic and got his first job at Hy-Vee at the age of 16.  He worked at the Unionville, Trenton, and Maryville stores and had been with them for 7 years before moving another direction when he moved to Kansas City.  He had found his dream job in Kansas City and was traveling around the country as a lumber inspector for a company that treated him like family.

Jake loved to play video games and he loved sports.  He excelled at baseball in high school.  He loved a good pick-up game of basketball and playing bags and beer darts with his friends.  He loved the Royals and got to a game every chance he could.  Jake liked the NBA and had traveled to games with friends.  He was a firm believer that Lebron was greater than Michael, and no amount of pleading from his mother would change his mind.  He was a die-hard Kansas City Chief's fan and had strong opinions about the new fans they had garnered over the last few successful seasons.  He could not tolerate a bandwagoner.

Jake had great friends.  He was loyal and met his lifelong best friend, Cory, in kindergarten.  He kept his friend group small, but he loved them big.

He loved the outdoors.  He liked tubing on the Jack’s Fork and Current River and kayaking.  Every family vacation had to be adventurous with long hikes.  He had no qualms about dragging his aging and overweight parents on strenuous 8-mile mountain trails.  The next family expedition had already been planned for the end of July in Glacier National Park.

Jake was a great cook.  He had taken over holiday meal duties and turkey and ham were replaced with brisket, prime rib, or whatever he and his dad could smoke or grill up.

Family was important to Jake.  He loved his grandmother and would often place a thoughtful call to her.  His last trips home were for his father’s birthday in April and Mother’s Day in May. After years of barely tolerating his sisters, he had become the big brother any sister would want to have.  He was always down to send the emergency Venmo when Chipotle or Starbucks wasn’t in their budget. Jake had a great sense of humor and sent the best memes and TikToks to the family group Snapchat. He gave great gifts and hugs. He told his family he loved them every time they spoke. Jake accepted the Lord as his Savior and was baptized as a youth.  This knowledge, along with the wonderful memories of him, will sustain us all until we meet again.

Jake was preceded in death by his grandparents, Floyd and Dorothy Hollon and Richard Murphy, an uncle, Kent Murphy, and an aunt, Kristi Murphy.  He is survived by his parents and sisters and his grandmother, Kathy Murphy.  Also surviving are a host of aunts, uncles, and cousins who were dearly loved.

Funeral services for Jake will be at Playle & Collins Family Funeral Home at 10:00 am on Monday, June 6, 2022, with visitation, Sunday, June 5, from 6:00 – 8:00 pm. Interment will be at the Union Cemetery in Putnam County, Missouri.

Memorials may be made payable to the Union Cemetery or the Jake Hollon Memorial Scholarship Fund and entrusted with Playle and Collins Family Funeral Home, 709 S. 27 ^th St., Unionville, MO  63565.