Preston (PJ) Jennings

Our beloved son, brother and life partner PRESTON JENNINGS (PJ) died unexpectedly at home on September 22. He was a caring and loving person and everyone he knew was a friend.

PJ was born in Lexington Kentucky on June 28, 1964. After finishing school, he joined the National Guard and shortly afterward moved west to California settling in the Bay area where he worked in food service and volunteered helping the homeless.

He met his life partner, James McCall nearly thirty years ago and moved to Taft. He loved cooking and continued working in food service with his last job at Taft City Schools before becoming disabled. During the holidays he would bake for his friends and neighbors using recipes he got form Helen McCall including his famous baked chicken. More recently he spent long hours watching the cooking channels and repeats of the Golden Girls with the theme song “Thank You For Being A Friend” which will grace his headstone.

He loved eighties music and would tune it on in the car radio on the long trips to Stanford Medical. He loved the group Abba and whenever he heard the song Waterloo, he would do a little dance to the beat.

PJ was very caring and helped with the local homeless as he and his partner would hand out socks, water, food and always a kind word. One young homeless man passed by his house in a pouring rain and he invited him over to sit in out of the rain, gave him hot cocoa, a hat and they talked about his homeless life giving him encouragement and where he could get help.

He would give the shirt off his back from his large collection of “T-shirts”.

PJ was a “hugger” and up until the Covid-19 gave out hugs to all who knew him. PJ gave so much to others during his short life and he deserves a big hug back. Please give someone a hug in his memory.

He leaves behind his loving parents Alfred and Elizabeth Jennings of Frankfort KY., Brothers Michael of Frankfort and Joey of Florida and his loving life partner James McCall, his dogs Zeus, Freckles, Shih, and Blaze and many aunts, uncles, and friends.

Graveside services will be held at West Side District Cemetery on Friday October 9, 2020 at 1:00 pm.

Donations may be made to Unity Thrift & Outreach pet rescue in Preston Jennings name, 909 Arroyo Way, Taft, Ca. 93268 or a pet rescue of your choice.

Services are under the direction of Erickson & Brown Funeral Home of Taft.

PLEASE WEAR YOUR MASK.

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