MADERA - William Dario “Bill” Jones fell asleep in Christ on February 11, 2019 Fresno, CA. He was born in Ft. Huachuca, AZ on December 19, 1936 to William McKinley Jones and Juanita Rubio, and baptized in Christ on April 3, 1937.
Bill enlisted in the US Navy in 1954 until an honorable discharge in 1961. He then proudly served in the United States Marine Corps from 1965 until his retirement in 1981. During his service he flew over 684 Combat Missions and earned: numerous medals, awards, citations and commendations. Thank you for your service.
Bill was a lifelong learner and earned his Bachelor of Arts from Arizona State University in 1971, his Master of Science in Education from National University in 1981, and his degree as a in Hypnotherapist in March, 1992, opening Able Hypnotherapy in Madera where he enjoyed helping many.
Bill loved his VFW Post 1981 where he was a past Post Commander, served in the Color Guard, and was responsible for overseeing the Voice of Democracy, Patriot's Pen and Herbert E. Macon Scholarship programs. He was a member of the Madera Lion’s Breakfast Club for over 20 years, where he served as past and current President where he was described as “one of the most faithful about going to district meetings.” He was a member of Knights of Columbus.
Bill influenced the lives of countless people as a teacher, high school golf coach for Nogales High School, City Planner for Nogales, AZ, a High School GED teacher for CA Dept. of Corrections at Central CA Women's Facility 1993 – 2000 and was trained in hostage negotiation, volunteering over 7 years in the Negotiation Management Team.
He volunteered hundreds of hours to his community: 10 years with Victims Service Center, City of Madera Anti-Graffiti, Central Valley Robotics Club, providing donations to elderly and needy, collecting soda caps for the Children’s Hospital and clean-up efforts. He will best be remembered for his generosity and donated faithfully to National University Alumni, Madera Rescue Mission, Hillsdale College, Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, Shriners Hospital, Marine’s Memorial Association, St. Joachim Catholic Church, Sequoia Council Boy Scouts, and Columbian Fathers. He may or may not have adopted a bunch of children around the world.
Bill has been reunited in God’s Kingdom with his parents William McKinley and Juanita Rubio Jones, and his brothers James McKinley, Conrad Henry and Waymond Blas.
He is survived by his daughter Yani Gudenkauf (John) and her sons Galen Daniel and Kevin Thomas (Laura) and his great granddaughter Lily Marie; his daughter Lauren Goldbach (Erin), and his grandchildren Kayleigh Eileen, John James (Nicole Lenzee), Anna Christi, Eren Maryanne, and Connor; his son Guillermo Francisco Rafael Jones (Catherine) and his grandchildren Gillian Eroika d’Luna, Magdaline Mirabella Aniko, Rex Tyberius Invierno, and his daughter Sylvia Genevieve Lizarraga (Robert) and grandchildren Sylvia Alicia and Kelly Nicole; and siblings: Judy Delifina, Sarah Annette, Frank Ernest, Lonnie Jane and John Autrey; Siblings: Judy Delifina, Sarah Annette, Frank Ernest, Lonnie Jane and John Autrey.
Recitation of the Rosary will be held on, Thursday, March 21, 2019 at 7:00 P.M. at St. Joachim Catholic Church, Madera, CA. Funeral Service will be held Friday, March 22, 2019 at 1:00 P.M. at Jay Chapel, Madera, CA, with military honors.
