by Audrey Walls, M.Ed., M.F.A.
As we look ahead to our Living Your Dash event on April 23, we’re taking the time to highlight one of our most loyal supporters, the Jones family: Ken, Jessica, and their children, Karissa (12), Kal (10), Landrum (8), and Eleanor. Ken Jones joined us as a board member here at Full Circle in 2024, and is also the co-founder of The Legacy Advisor Group, a wealth management firm headquartered in Richmond, while Jessica serves as a music teacher in the Richmond community, with experience in both private and public school systems.
Although many of us know Ken through his presence on our board, he and his family were introduced to Full Circle as clients first. It was the birth and loss of their daughter, Eleanor Rose, in late 2019 that brought Ken and Jessica to Full Circle’s doors as members of our Perinatal Loss Group. Luckily, Ken and Jessica were able to attend their session of the group right before the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Ken described their experience as “an amazing blessing” of community and refuge with others in what otherwise would have been an isolating time.
While the Jones family adults were able to participate in our Perinatal Loss Group, they also turned their attention to their three children, who were also grieving and greatly impacted by the loss of their sister. “We didn’t feel fully equipped to be able to walk our kids through the loss of their sister,” Ken admits. “We were able to take time during [the pandemic] to have those conversations, but it was awkward for the kids to have those conversations with their peers.”
The Jones family turned to the Hands on Healing family groups at Full Circle as a space especially designed for children, teenagers, and their caregivers who find themselves experiencing loss. Ken and Jessica felt that Hands on Healing helped bridge that gap, giving their children “a space that helped them to feel they were affirmed and understood all while providing an opportunity for them to see that they were not alone.”
Through attending both Perinatal Loss and Hands on Healing grief support groups, the Jones family was able to find a community that helped them break the feelings of isolation in their journey of grief. Since then, they have become compassionate advocates and ambassadors for the mission of Full Circle. As their children age, independent activities and responsibilities throughout the school year often give way to intentionality in the summer months as the family often seeks to spend time together. For the Jones family, this can mean traveling, connecting with family and friends they don’t often see, seeking thrills at amusement parks, or enjoying a musical theatre performance. (“Although, our show preferences vary,” Ken adds.)
This renewed sense of community and healing was much more challenging to find in the wake of their daughter Eleanor’s passing. “When we were walking in a season of life where we couldn’t see the light, [Full Circle] helped us to see it again, and to be intentional about loving and remembering the ones we’ve lost,” says Ken. “Having been on the receiving end of that, we encourage others to get involved, by participating in groups, volunteering their time, donating supplies, or partnering financially if they can.”
This intentionality is something that can be seen as a cornerstone of the Jones family both personally and professionally. Through partnership with Ken, The Legacy Advisor Group has generously sponsored Living Your Dash for multiple years, supporting the event’s mission to provide accessible, comprehensive grief counseling to families across Virginia. Ken sees his support in particular as a way to connect and celebrate life, recognizing those we have lost, and remembering that their legacies continue to impact us every day. “We encourage our clients to recognize that legacy isn’t just something that is left behind, but something that is actively lived,” Ken adds. “That is one of the reasons I’m so proud to sponsor the Living Your Dash event.”
The importance of Living Your Dash is clear to the Jones family. “It is a time that we get to honor and celebrate a community of people who see the hard things and do something about them,” adds Ken. “Those who create space where there was no space, and hope where there was no hope.”
*****
Tickets and information for Full Circle Grief Center’s Annual Living Your Dash Luncheon on April 23, 2026 can be found on our Living Your Dash event page. Join us for our most popular event of the year as we celebrate those in our community who are making a difference and truly “living their dash” every day.
Full Circle Grief Center 