There’s something truly special about a moment that connects generations, and Sarah Jones McFadden has one of those memories etched in her heart. She vividly recalls the day her young son, Harrison, caught his very first fish with his grandpa, the legendary Davy Jones. “My dad wasn’t one for formal lessons,” Sarah shares with Closer, her voice warm with nostalgia. “He believed in learning by doing. But Harrison did it—he caught a fish. That was such a magical moment for my son and my dad. Don’t get me wrong, my dad adored his four daughters, but there was something different about the joy he found with his grandchildren.”
For millions of fans, Davy Jones was the charismatic frontman of The Monkees, forever young and full of charm. But to those who knew him personally, he was so much more than that. “He was like a kid himself,” says Jessica Pacheco, Davy’s widow, with a laugh. “He had this incredible sense of humor and was always making people laugh. He never lost that childlike wonder, and it was one of the things that made him so special.”
A Life Beyond the Spotlight
When Davy married Sarah’s mother in 1967, it marked the beginning of a life that defied the typical rockstar stereotype. At the height of Monkee-mania, the Manchester-born star chose to settle his family in Santa Barbara County, California—a place far removed from the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. “Growing up, we lived in a small town,” Sarah reminisces. “We didn’t have maids or nannies. We did our own chores, rode our bikes to school—it was just a normal life. That’s how my dad wanted it. He didn’t want us to be overshadowed by his fame.”
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The Monkees Revival: A Family Affair
In the 1980s, when The Monkees experienced a resurgence in popularity, Davy made sure his entire family was part of the journey. By then, he was married to his second wife and had two more daughters. “We all traveled together on the bus—the whole family!” Sarah exclaims, her voice brimming with fondness. “It was amazing. My mother and stepmother worked hard to create a harmonious blended family, and being together like that brought us even closer. My dad was so family-oriented; it made him so happy to have everyone under one roof.”
Sarah’s memories of the other Monkees members and their families are just as vivid. “They were such a big part of our lives,” she says. “I remember Micky Dolenz tossing us into the water, Peter Tork strumming his guitar and cracking jokes, and Mike Nesmith being this shy yet hilarious guy with one of the driest senses of humor I’ve ever encountered. They weren’t just bandmates; they were like uncles to us.”
Davy’s Final Chapter
Davy met his third wife, Jessica, in 2007 while working together in children’s theater. “It was love at first sight,” Jessica recalls with a smile. “He was such a talented man, and I was thrilled to collaborate with him. We got married in 2009 and split our time between Pennsylvania and Florida, where he had a beautiful horse farm. I’ll never forget the first time I got on a horse because of him—it was a life-changing experience.”
Horses were an integral part of Davy’s life, a passion that began in his youth. In 1996, at the age of 51, he achieved a lifelong dream by winning his first race as a jockey. “Every fiber of his being was dedicated to horses,” Sarah reflects. Tragically, Davy passed away in 2012 after suffering a massive heart attack while caring for his horses at his Florida farm. His legacy lives on through the Davy Jones Equine Memorial Fund, a grassroots organization founded by Sarah and her sisters. The fund rescues and supports former racehorses and provides equine therapy for those suffering from PTSD. “This cause was something my dad cared deeply about,” Sarah explains. “Now, we’ve taken it and made it our own. It’s our way of honoring him.”
