Funeral homes often submit obituaries as a service to the families they are assisting. However, we will be happy to accept obituaries from family members pending proper verification of the death.
Bill Jones of The Dalles, Oregon, passed at home with family on March 7, 2025, at the age of 94. Bill led a life of curiosity and kindness that inspired many.
Born in 1931 to Floyd and Gaynell, Bill was an independent child who enjoyed learning. The Great Depression defined Bill’s childhood and his parents left Kansas for California in hopes of opportunities. On the west coast, the Joneses continued to move around and Bill remembered attending schools in 14 different cities up until he graduated high school in Mt. Vernon, Washington.
After high school, Bill and his junior college friends decided to enlist. Bill chose the Air Force, served in Korea in 1949, and was honorably discharged as Staff Sergeant in 1953. Bill was stationed in Long Beach, California, and worked full time while earning his Bachelors and Masters degrees with the assistance of the GI Bill. During this time, Bill married high school sweetheart, Janet, and they had two sons, Jeff and Randy. After graduation, Bill worked for the Long Beach Unified School District for 32 years as a teacher and administrator. He was a popular teacher and always advocated for his students. As a veteran, teacher and union member, Bill was very civic minded and felt strongly about making informed decisions about who and what you vote for.
Long Beach was the ideal home base for an avid sailor like Bill. In 1973 and 1975, Bill completed the Transpacific, a prestigious yacht race from Los Angeles to Honolulu, covering more than 2,225 nautical miles. Bill’s son, Jeff, shared a love of sailing and windsurfing and they participated in numerous regattas together. Bill became a Principal Race Officer, organizing and running regattas, notably the 1983 Windsurfing Olympic Training in Long Beach and several Gorge Pro-ams in Hood River, Oregon.
Bill’s love of windsurfing brought another love into his life, Adie. They met at Alamitos Bay in 1981; Adie had just purchased her first board from Jeff’s windsurf store and Bill was finishing up teaching a lesson when Adie noticed Bill two-stepping while carrying the boards up the beach. During their courtship, they enjoyed windsurfing and dancing. Bill and Adie married in 1987 and moved to the Columbia River Gorge. In the Gorge, Bill continued to be involved with the sailing community, substitute taught at local high schools, and enjoyed instructing dance classes with Adie.
Throughout his retirement, Bill remained curious and busy. He dabbled in carpentry and created beautiful swings, bed frames, tables and chairs from cedar and alder wood. Caring for his garden, mowing his lawns and operating the snow blower brought him great satisfaction. Bill enjoyed rounds of golf at The Dalles Country Club and even aced hole 14! Reading was also a favorite pastime of Bill’s. He frequented the library, bookstores and the lending libraries around the Gorge, and usually completed 60 books per year!
Bill had a special connection to animals that was nurtured from a young age. Bill’s mother and stepfather trained horses for the U.S. Army and at the Riding Academy in Mt. Vernon. Bill moved herds of horses as a child and trained them as a teen, all of which furthered his equestrian skills and his ability to understand and respect animals. He especially loved his cats and taking his grandchildren on trail rides.
In his autobiography, Bill said that he “has had an exciting life. He rode an elephant on Mount Hood, swam in the Pacific Ocean 1,000 miles from land and piloted the Goodyear Blimp!”
Bill is survived by his wife Adie, son Jeff, and grandchildren, Jackie and Steven.
Columbia Gorge News, Dec. 3, 2025
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