Officer Edward Jamandron of State Corrections Local 105, End of Watch: Jan. 23, 2021

‘He was a family man’

Stephen Jamandron reminisced about his father, Edward, teaching him how to do chores around the house at just 7 or 8 years old. He was only 9 when his youngest brother Victor was born, and Stephen learned how to change diapers and take care of the baby.

“I always wondered, ‘Why do I have to do this?’” Stephen said. “But as I grew up and became an adult, I recognized the importance of everything he taught me — personal accountability, being responsible and just doing the right thing.”

State Corrections Local 105 member Edward “Jam” Jamandron was laid to rest after falling to COVID-19 complications on Jan. 23. He served 17 years, with stints at the New Jersey State Prison in Trenton and East Jersey State Prison in Woodbridge. He is survived by his wife, Lynn; sons Stephen, 31; Matthew, 26; Victor, 22; and daughter, Elyssa, 11.

Stephen, who is currently serving on active duty in California as a captain in the U.S. Army, recounted seeing his father come home on drill weekend with a uniform on. “He had a huge influence in my life,” he relayed. “I actually wanted to be in the Army since I was 13 years old.”

Before joining Local 105, Edward served in the Army for 24 years and did several tours in Iraq. Jonathan Shealy, a Local 105 member for more than nine years and a friend of Edward’s for more than 16 years, served in Iraq with him.

“I can talk about him being a leader, a platoon sergeant, everything that you would think of in a description of a great person,” Shealy remarked. “But the main thing that stood out to anybody around him is that as good of a human being as he was, he was an even better father. His family meant everything to him.”

Shealy described that at the funeral, it was obvious how much Edward’s sons missed their father. “It was heartbreaking, to tell you the truth,” he noted. “Jam is very sorely missed.”

As a family man, Edward was a strict disciplinarian. “He operated on tough love,” said Lynn Jamandron. “He could be tough, but it was because he wanted [the kids] to do well and learn.” Edward trained their children to help out at home and be present in the family.

Edward and Lynn met in the Philippines and married in April 1989 before moving to the United States. “We were about to be married for 32 years, and he always treated me like a princess,” Lynn mentioned. “He was a family man. As long as he had time, he would go to the boys’ games [at school].”

Edward was an athlete and loved sports — soccer, basketball and baseball — and he coached youth basketball. He spent his free time coaching his children out in the field. “He would text me while I’m at work to say he’s pitching to Elyssa or hitting [balls] with the brothers,” Lynn lamented. “Even if he couldn’t make one of the kids’ games, he was there behind the scenes.”

Stephen, who has a wife and a 3-year-old son of his own, said his brother Matthew decisively took the reins for the family after he started his Army career. “Throughout the years, he just became the ‘older brother’ in the house and basically took charge of everything I would’ve been responsible for had I not left,” he remarked. “Everything my dad did prepared me to have my own family and my brothers to take care of my mom and sister.”

Edward’s presence was felt by the over 300 people who liked the Local’s Facebook post about his passing. About 300 cars of people from different departments attended the procession to celebrate his life. “He always had a positive outlook on life, always smiling and never complained,” said Local 105 President Bill Sullivan. “You’d have a hard time finding somebody he didn’t get along with.”

Stephen Jamandron reminisced about his father, Edward, teaching him how to do chores around the house at just 7 or 8 years old. He was only 9 when his youngest brother Victor was born, and Stephen learned how to change diapers and take care of the baby.

              “I always wondered, ‘Why do I have to do this?’” Stephen said. “But as I grew up and became an adult, I recognized the importance of everything he taught me — personal accountability, being responsible and just doing the right thing.”

              State Corrections Local 105 member Edward “Jam” Jamandron was laid to rest after falling to COVID-19 complications on Jan. 23. He served 17 years, with stints at the New Jersey State Prison in Trenton and East Jersey State Prison in Woodbridge. He is survived by his wife, Lynn; sons Stephen, 31; Matthew, 26; Victor, 22; and daughter, Elyssa, 11.

Stephen, who is currently serving on active duty in California as a captain in the U.S. Army, recounted seeing his father come home on drill weekend with a uniform on. “He had a huge influence in my life,” he relayed. “I actually wanted to be in the Army since I was 13 years old.”

              Before joining Local 105, Edward served in the Army for 24 years and did several tours in Iraq. Jonathan Shealy, a Local 105 member for more than nine years and a friend of Edward’s for more than 16 years, served in Iraq with him.

              “I can talk about him being a leader, a platoon sergeant, everything that you would think of in a description of a great person,” Shealy remarked. “But the main thing that stood out to anybody around him is that as good of a human being as he was, he was an even better father. His family meant everything to him.”

              Shealy described that at the funeral, it was obvious how much Edward’s sons missed their father. “It was heartbreaking, to tell you the truth,” he noted. “Jam is very sorely missed.”

              As a family man, Edward was a strict disciplinarian. “He operated on tough love,” said Lynn Jamandron. “He could be tough, but it was because he wanted [the kids] to do well and learn.” Edward trained their children to help out at home and be present in the family.

              Edward and Lynn met in the Philippines and married in April 1989 before moving to the United States. “We were about to be married for 32 years, and he always treated me like a princess,” Lynn mentioned. “He was a family man. As long as he had time, he would go to the boys’ games [at school].”

              Edward was an athlete and loved sports — soccer, basketball and baseball — and he coached youth basketball. He spent his free time coaching his children out in the field. “He would text me while I’m at work to say he’s pitching to Elyssa or hitting [balls] with the brothers,” Lynn lamented. “Even if he couldn’t make one of the kids’ games, he was there behind the scenes.”

              Stephen, who has a wife and a 3-year-old son of his own, said his brother Matthew decisively took the reins for the family after he started his Army career. “Throughout the years, he just became the ‘older brother’ in the house and basically took charge of everything I would’ve been responsible for had I not left,” he remarked. “Everything my dad did prepared me to have my own family and my brothers to take care of my mom and sister.”

              Edward’s presence was felt by the over 300 people who liked the Local’s Facebook post about his passing. About 300 cars of people from different departments attended the procession to celebrate his life. “He always had a positive outlook on life, always smiling and never complained,” said Local 105 President Bill Sullivan. “You’d have a hard time finding somebody he didn’t get along with.”