Wednesday, November 28, 2001

Owner of local hang-out loved students, music
By Sarah McClellan
Staff Reporter

TCU students and friends have fond memories of Jon Stern Meyerson, owner of Jons Grille, the near campus hang-out where they have written their names on the wall and eaten hamburgers since 1989. Meyerson was died Saturday at his home in South Fort Worth.

The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office said Meyerson, who was 52, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Polly Manuel, owner of Salon Classique Tanning, a business near Jons Grille, knew Meyerson for 10 years and was a business neighbor for four years. She said Meyerson was a hard-driving business man with a “heart of gold.”

“He was always encouraging to me when I first started this business,” Manuel said. “He was somebody I looked up to.”

Brady Haass, a senior radio-TV-film major who works at Fat Harry’s Daiquiris & Tavern, a bar near Jons Grille, said Meyerson was “such a nice guy.”

“Jons Grille was a part of the campus atmosphere. The place was affiliated with TCU,” Haass said.

Manuel said Meyerson loved the TCU students that frequented the restaurant.
“He loved watching students come in as freshmen and then watching them grow up,” Manuel said. “You could see the twinkle in his eye when you guys would be lined up to eat his food.”

James Gomez, a freshman pre-major, said he ate at Jons Grille at least twice a month.

“I saw Jon there, smiling, every time,” Gomez said. “There were always a lot of students there.”

Sumpter Bruton, a friend and owner of Record Town, which was near Jons Grille, said Meyerson always seemed to be in good spirits.

“Here he is, 50-years-old, playing in a rock and roll band with a new corvette,” Bruton said. “I told him he was going through a second childhood and he just laughed and said, ‘I guess so.’”

Manuel said she got to know Meyerson by eating at Jons Grille and listening to him play in his band, Tar Baby.

“He loved his music,” Manuel said. “It was something he did for fun.”

Tom Cockerell, a friend and former band mate of Meyerson, said he was a good musician.

Cockerell said they played together in the Don’t Quit Your Day Job Band at street dances, bars, clubs and private parties.

“He was a good friend,” Cockerell said. “He always remembered people’s names and he was very sociable. I didn’t expect (his death) at all.”

A service will be at noon Friday at Beth-El Congregation.

Meyerson is survived by a brother, Jerry Meyerson of Sacramento, Calif.; and two sisters, Janis Meyerson of Fort Worth and Gina Meyerson of West Palm Beach, Fla.

Sarah McClellan
s.l.mcclellan@student.tcu.edu