JONESVILLE — Staff Sgt. Jason Wilburn and his grandfather, Bob Ivester, had a special connection and a lot in common.

Ivester referred to Wilburn, the son of his daughter, Lisa Bell, as his “Little Buddy.” When Wilburn wanted advice about his Air Force career, he would call Ivester, who is retired after serving in the Army and the National Guard. Ivester joined the Army when he was 17. Wilburn had joined the Air Force the January after he graduated from Union High School in 1997.

Ivester and his wife, Elizabeth, would drive from their home in Jonesville to Moody Air Force Base near Valdosta, Ga., to watch their grandson jump from airplanes.

“He was so proud showing Daddy around,” Mrs. Bell said.

Wilburn died on Jan. 12 after he lost consciousness during an above-water treading exercise in the training pool of Lackland Air Force Base near San Antonio, Texas. His family members have been waiting since then for Wilburn to be buried in Arlington National Cemetery. The service has now been scheduled for Friday at 1 p.m. A large contingent of Wilburn’s family members, both local and out of town, plan to attend.

Out of respect for Wilburn, 74-year-old Ivester dropped 45 pounds so he could fit into his National Guard uniform. Ivester retired in 1994 as a first sergeant.

“I wanted to honor Jason,” Ivester said. “I told my wife what I wanted to do and she said that would be nice, Jason would like that,” Ivester said.

Ivester gave up potato chips and steak and tried to make healthy choices.

“I gave up all that fast food,” Ivester said. “I ate a lot of salad and fruit.”

Ivester also has been walking two miles a day, outside if the weather permitted and on a treadmill inside during inclement weather.

“Jason would love it,” said Mrs. Bell. “He was a health nut. He was in excellent health.”

Air Force authorities still are investigating Wilburn’s cause of death.

“Jason was like Daddy — he had never been sick a day in his life,” Mrs. Bell said. “His death certificate said ‘complications arising from a near drowning.’ But he didn’t nearly drown; he never got any water in his lungs.”

Wilburn, also the son of Wayne Wilburn of Union and stepson of Mike Bell of Jonesville, had accomplished much with his Air Force career. He had completed three tours of duty in Iraq and jump school and had risen to the top of an elite unit. He and his wife, Rebecca, “Becky” had two daughters, Megan, 10, and Ella Kate, born in March after her father passed away.

Wilburn grew up seeing his grandfather in uniform and seeing pictures of his Army service.

A native of Hawaii, Ivester came to Jonesville in 1955 with the late J.D. Turner, with whom he was serving in the Army. Turner took him to Bogan’s restaurant, where he met his wife, the former Elizabeth Franklin, who was a waitress.

Ivester asked Elizabeth to come to California, where he was stationed, and get married.

“My father said if you want her, you are going to have to come get her,” Mrs. Ivester said with a laugh.

The couple got married and Mrs. Ivester traveled with her husband during his Army service. They have three children: Susan, who was born in San Francisco and Lisa and Mark, who were born in Chicago.

The family returned to Jonesville in 1969. Dallas Nelson, former postmaster and National Guard member, encouraged Ivester to join the Guard in 1973.

As Wilburn grew into a young man and began considering his future options, Ivester encouraged him to join the Army. Mrs. Bell encouraged him to join the Marines. Wilburn considered all the options and chose the Air Force.

Ivester said Wilburn, always a good boy, was a different man when he came home from basic training.

“When you talked to him it was ‘Yes, sir. and ‘No, m’am,’” Ivester remembers. “We kept up with his career and I liked to feel like I had a lot of influence on him. When he decided to do something, he would call me — jump school, Ranger training. I told him to go for it. The more you do to better yourself you will help your career. He went at it full blast. He wanted to be the best. He was my pride and joy.”