Today we’d like to introduce you to Stessy Jones.
Stessy, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
From Fire Trucks to Stained Glass
Keeping History Alive, One Piece of Glass at a Time
My Story — Bluebird Stained Glass Studio
I’ve always believed that life has a way of taking us down roads we never expected to travel. Sometimes we choose those roads, and sometimes life chooses them for us. I was born at Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and I’ve lived in Stafford County my entire life. This area has always been my home, and my roots run deep here. I guess you could say I’ve been an entrepreneur most of my life. I started working when I was just 10 years old, delivering newspapers on a paper route. Even as a young girl, I learned the value of hard work, responsibility, and earning my own way. I’ve always enjoyed working with my hands, figuring out how things work, and finding ways to fix things that are broken. I wasn’t afraid of getting my hands dirty or taking on a challenge, even if it wasn’t the kind of work people expected a woman to do.
A Life Around Fire Trucks and Ambulances
Before stained glass became such a big part of my life, I spent 28 years working as a fire truck and ambulance mechanic. But my involvement with emergency services began long before I started turning wrenches professionally. I was a volunteer firefighter and EMT. During those years, I saw firsthand how important it was for emergency vehicles to be dependable. When someone calls for help, the last thing firefighters or rescue personnel need to worry about is whether their equipment will get them there. I began to notice a real need for someone who understood fire trucks and ambulances and could keep them running. So, I decided to do something about it. In 1995, I started Jones Mobile Mechanic Service. It wasn’t just about fixing engines or repairing equipment. I knew the people who depended on those vehicles, and I understood how important their work was. Every repair meant helping keep a fire truck or ambulance ready for the next emergency. In 1999, I received a contract to maintain the fire trucks and ambulances for Dale City Volunteer Fire Company in Prince William County, Virginia. I took a great deal of pride in that work. For 28 years, I worked around the very vehicles that helped protect our communities. I never imagined that one day I would trade my wrenches and engines for glass cutters and beautiful colored glass. But life had other plans.
An Unexpected Turn.
In 2013, my life changed in a way I never expected. I fell off a fire truck and suffered a head injury.
It was one of those moments that can change the direction of your life in an instant. After spending so many years doing work I knew and loved, I found myself heading toward a very different future. Sometimes life closes one chapter before we’re ready, but that doesn’t mean the story is over. Sometimes it’s just the beginning of something new and for me, that new chapter was stained glass.
My journey with stained glass actually began years earlier. A doctor wanted something special made for his apothecary, and that request sparked my interest in stained glass.
So, I took a stained glass class. And the rest, as they say, is history. What began with one class turned into a love for a craft that has now been part of my life for 20 years.
I discovered that stained glass was more than just cutting glass and putting pieces together. It required patience, creativity, problem-solving, and a steady hand. In many ways, those were the same skills I had used throughout my years as a mechanic. The materials were different, but the satisfaction of creating something with my own hands was very much the same. My journey eventually led me to take over Bluebird Stained Glass Studio. I didn’t originally choose the name Bluebird. The previous owner had named the studio after Bluebird Lane, where she lived. But when I took over the studio, I carried that name forward, and it became part of my own story. What started as an unexpected turn in life became a new opportunity to create, restore, and preserve something beautiful.
Stained Glass: Portals of Time
People often ask what I love most about stained glass. For me, the answer goes much deeper than the colors or the beauty of the glass. To me, stained glass is like looking back in time. I believe stained glass windows are portals of time. Every window has a story to tell.
When I look at an old stained glass window, I don’t just see the design or the craftsmanship. I wonder about the world that existed when it was made. What was happening in the lives of the people who created it? Who designed it? Who cut the glass? Who carefully fitted all those pieces together? Who paid for the window, and why?
Was it made to honor someone? Was it given in memory of a loved one? Was it created to celebrate a special moment in someone’s life? And how many generations of people have stood in front of that very same window, watching the sunlight shine through it? Those are the things that fascinate me. Stained glass windows have witnessed history. They’ve stood through changing times, watched generations come and go, and silently held the memories of people who may no longer be with us. Some windows tell stories of faith. Others tell stories of families, communities, and the people who helped build them. Sometimes the names are still there, carefully painted or placed in the glass. Other times, the stories have nearly been forgotten. But the windows remain. And I believe those stories deserve to be remembered. When I work on an old stained glass window, I feel like I’m touching a little piece of history. Someone, many years before me, worked with those same pieces of glass. They had their own hopes, dreams, struggles, and reasons for creating that window. Now, years later, that window has found its way into my hands. There’s something pretty special about that. From Fixing Fire Trucks to Preserving History
Looking back over my life, I sometimes have to smile at how things turned out.
Who would have thought that a young girl delivering newspapers in Stafford County would grow up to become a volunteer firefighter, an EMT, a fire truck mechanic, a business owner, and eventually the owner of a stained glass studio? For most of my working life, I was surrounded by engines, tools, grease, and emergency vehicles.
Today, I’m surrounded by glass, color, light, and history. At first glance, those two worlds couldn’t seem more different. But I’ve come to realize they have more in common than you might think. Both require patience. Both require skill. Both involve figuring out how things work and knowing how to put them back together when something goes wrong. And both have given me the satisfaction of knowing that my work matters. When I repaired fire trucks and ambulances, I was helping keep emergency responders ready to serve their communities. Now, when I repair or restore an old stained glass window, I’m helping preserve something that future generations may one day see and wonder about the stories and history they represent. I guess you could say I’ve traded my wrenches for glass cutters, but I’ve never lost my love for fixing things.
The Heart Behind Bluebird Stained Glass Studio
Bluebird Stained Glass Studio has become much more than just a business to me.
It’s a place where creativity meets history, where old windows can be given new life, and where something beautiful can be created from simple pieces of glass.
Whether I’m making a new piece, repairing a damaged window, or restoring something that has been around for generations, I try to remember that every piece of glass has a purpose and every window has a story. After 20 years of working with stained glass, I still find myself fascinated by the way light passes through the colors and brings a window to life and I still wonder about the stories behind the old ones. I’ve learned that life doesn’t always go according to plan. Sometimes the unexpected turns take us places we never imagined we’d go. My journey from fire trucks to stained glass certainly wasn’t something I planned when I was a young girl delivering newspapers. But I wouldn’t trade the experiences or the people I’ve met along the way. Every chapter has helped make me who I am today and as long as I’m able, I hope to keep creating, repairing, restoring, and sharing the stories that stained glass has to tell. Because to me, stained glass isn’t just art. It’s history. It’s memories. It’s a connection between the past and the present.
And when the sunlight shines through an old stained glass window, I like to think that for just a moment, we’re seeing a little piece of the world as someone else saw it many years ago.
I spent 28 years keeping fire trucks and ambulances on the road. Now I spend my days keeping history alive, one piece of glass at a time.
Stessy Jones
Bluebird Stained Glass Studio
We’ve been impressed with Bluebird Stained Glass Studio, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
From Fire Trucks to Stained Glass
Keeping History Alive, One Piece of Glass at a Time
My Story — Bluebird Stained Glass Studio
I’ve always believed that life has a way of taking us down roads we never expected to travel. Sometimes we choose those roads, and sometimes life chooses them for us. I was born at Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and I’ve lived in Stafford County my entire life. This area has always been my home, and my roots run deep here. I guess you could say I’ve been an entrepreneur most of my life. I started working when I was just 10 years old, delivering newspapers on a paper route. Even as a young girl, I learned the value of hard work, responsibility, and earning my own way. I’ve always enjoyed working with my hands, figuring out how things work, and finding ways to fix things that are broken. I wasn’t afraid of getting my hands dirty or taking on a challenge, even if it wasn’t the kind of work people expected a woman to do.
A Life Around Fire Trucks and Ambulances
Before stained glass became such a big part of my life, I spent 28 years working as a fire truck and ambulance mechanic. But my involvement with emergency services began long before I started turning wrenches professionally. I was a volunteer firefighter and EMT. During those years, I saw firsthand how important it was for emergency vehicles to be dependable. When someone calls for help, the last thing firefighters or rescue personnel need to worry about is whether their equipment will get them there. I began to notice a real need for someone who understood fire trucks and ambulances and could keep them running. So, I decided to do something about it. In 1995, I started Jones Mobile Mechanic Service. It wasn’t just about fixing engines or repairing equipment. I knew the people who depended on those vehicles, and I understood how important their work was. Every repair meant helping keep a fire truck or ambulance ready for the next emergency. In 1999, I received a contract to maintain the fire trucks and ambulances for Dale City Volunteer Fire Company in Prince William County, Virginia. I took a great deal of pride in that work. For 28 years, I worked around the very vehicles that helped protect our communities. I never imagined that one day I would trade my wrenches and engines for glass cutters and beautiful colored glass. But life had other plans.
An Unexpected Turn.
In 2013, my life changed in a way I never expected. I fell off a fire truck and suffered a head injury.
It was one of those moments that can change the direction of your life in an instant. After spending so many years doing work I knew and loved, I found myself heading toward a very different future. Sometimes life closes one chapter before we’re ready, but that doesn’t mean the story is over. Sometimes it’s just the beginning of something new and for me, that new chapter was stained glass.
My journey with stained glass actually began years earlier. A doctor wanted something special made for his apothecary, and that request sparked my interest in stained glass.
So, I took a stained glass class. And the rest, as they say, is history. What began with one class turned into a love for a craft that has now been part of my life for 20 years.
I discovered that stained glass was more than just cutting glass and putting pieces together. It required patience, creativity, problem-solving, and a steady hand. In many ways, those were the same skills I had used throughout my years as a mechanic. The materials were different, but the satisfaction of creating something with my own hands was very much the same. My journey eventually led me to take over Bluebird Stained Glass Studio. I didn’t originally choose the name Bluebird. The previous owner had named the studio after Bluebird Lane, where she lived. But when I took over the studio, I carried that name forward, and it became part of my own story. What started as an unexpected turn in life became a new opportunity to create, restore, and preserve something beautiful.
Stained Glass: Portals of Time
People often ask what I love most about stained glass. For me, the answer goes much deeper than the colors or the beauty of the glass. To me, stained glass is like looking back in time. I believe stained glass windows are portals of time. Every window has a story to tell.
When I look at an old stained glass window, I don’t just see the design or the craftsmanship. I wonder about the world that existed when it was made. What was happening in the lives of the people who created it? Who designed it? Who cut the glass? Who carefully fitted all those pieces together? Who paid for the window, and why?
Was it made to honor someone? Was it given in memory of a loved one? Was it created to celebrate a special moment in someone’s life? And how many generations of people have stood in front of that very same window, watching the sunlight shine through it? Those are the things that fascinate me. Stained glass windows have witnessed history. They’ve stood through changing times, watched generations come and go, and silently held the memories of people who may no longer be with us. Some windows tell stories of faith. Others tell stories of families, communities, and the people who helped build them. Sometimes the names are still there, carefully painted or placed in the glass. Other times, the stories have nearly been forgotten. But the windows remain. And I believe those stories deserve to be remembered. When I work on an old stained glass window, I feel like I’m touching a little piece of history. Someone, many years before me, worked with those same pieces of glass. They had their own hopes, dreams, struggles, and reasons for creating that window. Now, years later, that window has found its way into my hands. There’s something pretty special about that. From Fixing Fire Trucks to Preserving History
Looking back over my life, I sometimes have to smile at how things turned out.
Who would have thought that a young girl delivering newspapers in Stafford County would grow up to become a volunteer firefighter, an EMT, a fire truck mechanic, a business owner, and eventually the owner of a stained glass studio? For most of my working life, I was surrounded by engines, tools, grease, and emergency vehicles.
Today, I’m surrounded by glass, color, light, and history. At first glance, those two worlds couldn’t seem more different. But I’ve come to realize they have more in common than you might think. Both require patience. Both require skill. Both involve figuring out how things work and knowing how to put them back together when something goes wrong. And both have given me the satisfaction of knowing that my work matters. When I repaired fire trucks and ambulances, I was helping keep emergency responders ready to serve their communities. Now, when I repair or restore an old stained glass window, I’m helping preserve something that future generations may one day see and wonder about the stories and history they represent. I guess you could say I’ve traded my wrenches for glass cutters, but I’ve never lost my love for fixing things.
The Heart Behind Bluebird Stained Glass Studio
Bluebird Stained Glass Studio has become much more than just a business to me.
It’s a place where creativity meets history, where old windows can be given new life, and where something beautiful can be created from simple pieces of glass.
Whether I’m making a new piece, repairing a damaged window, or restoring something that has been around for generations, I try to remember that every piece of glass has a purpose and every window has a story. After 20 years of working with stained glass, I still find myself fascinated by the way light passes through the colors and brings a window to life and I still wonder about the stories behind the old ones. I’ve learned that life doesn’t always go according to plan. Sometimes the unexpected turns take us places we never imagined we’d go. My journey from fire trucks to stained glass certainly wasn’t something I planned when I was a young girl delivering newspapers. But I wouldn’t trade the experiences or the people I’ve met along the way. Every chapter has helped make me who I am today and as long as I’m able, I hope to keep creating, repairing, restoring, and sharing the stories that stained glass has to tell. Because to me, stained glass isn’t just art. It’s history. It’s memories. It’s a connection between the past and the present.
And when the sunlight shines through an old stained glass window, I like to think that for just a moment, we’re seeing a little piece of the world as someone else saw it many years ago.
I spent 28 years keeping fire trucks and ambulances on the road. Now I spend my days keeping history alive, one piece of glass at a time.
Stessy Jones
Bluebird Stained Glass Studio
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bluebirdstainedglass.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BluebirdGlassStudio/
