John Allen Bone

John Allen Bone
HARLINGEN,TX.-
John Allen Bone, age 81 passed away peacefully on Wednesday, May 8, 2013, with his beloved wife and best friend of 61 years, Dilia (Longoria) Bone and his devoted daughter, Katherine by his side.
He was the eldest child born to Lucian and Mary (Hill) Bone on September 30, 1931 in Keysville, Florida and was a longtime resident of the Rio Grande Valley.
John proudly served his country for 21 years in the United States Navy. He met his beautiful bride while stationed in Corpus Christi, Tx. and they married in 1952. He had a love of knowledge, which he instilled in all his children. John received an Associates Degree from Laney College in Oakland Ca. and a BBA from Pan American University in Edinburg, TX. He was a professor at Laney College and also served as an Administrator at Durham College in Harlingen.
He had a passion for golf which he generously shared with others and could boast to two ``Hole in Ones' during his lifetime. John believed all weather was golfing weather. He was instrumental in starting the annual Rio Grande Valley Sugar Mill Golf Tournament and greatly enjoyed the tournaments with his family and friends every year. He retired from the Rio Grande Valley Sugar Mill in 1993.
The "BEST DAD EVER", John was a father to four daughters who adored him. He never complained about being surrounded by women and his wife took great care of him and enjoyed spoiling him, as did his daughters. The only thing that made him happier than a scheduled tee time was a phone call from one of his girls letting him know they were coming home to visit. He was a gentle and generous man, a patient teacher and always a respected and encouraging mentor to his daughters and grandchildren.
As a young man, John enjoyed baking treats for his family. He was known to occasionally wake up his little girls after bedtime with the best chocolate chip cookies, piping hot from the oven, which they would all enjoy with a cold glass of milk. He also enjoyed the arts - instilled a passion for reading and music in all his daughters and often took them to concerts and events across the country.
John enjoyed cataloging family photos - (close ups please!). He liked playing chess, enjoyed crossword puzzles and John loved challenging his girls and grandchildren with vocabulary words.
He had a quick wit, a great sense of humor and loved a good debate. In his later years, John enjoyed listening to several radio programs including Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck. He definitely believed that LESS government is more and would proudly share his conservative views.
In addition to the wife he was devoted to, John is survived by his daughter Katherine (Michael) Moses of Harlingen; daughter Jane (Brian) Burnett of Austin; daughter Jennifer (Steven) Wilks of Loranger, La.; Son in law Paul Merrick of San Leandro, Ca.: four grandchildren, Courtney Merrick, Rebecca and Katie Burnett and Chance Wilks; Sister Raynel (Everett) Fike of Nappanee, Indiana; Brother Dave (Pat) Bone of Nappanee, In. and Brother Bill Bone (Jeannie) of Paducah, KY; his extended family, Barbara, Patricia, Luke, Brenda and Tamela and numerous nieces and nephews.
John is preceded in death by his parents and his dearly loved daughter, Beverly Merrick. He is also preceded in death by his brother Raymond Close, his mother in law Aurora Longoria, sister in laws Peggy and Jean Bone and Minnie Longoria and brother in laws Bobby and Gilbert Longoria, nephew Louis Longoria and several dear golfing buddies.
A humble man, John requested that no funeral services be held. In death, as in life the family is honoring his wishes.
Memorials may be made to the National Pancreas Foundation at 101 Federal Street, Suite 1900 in Boston, MA, 02110.
The family wishes to extend a special Thank You to Dr. Shridhar Kotta and his staff, the medical personnel at Valley Baptist Health Center Emergency Room and NICU and to and the medical staff at Texas Oncology for the great care, compassion and affection they demonstrated towards John over the last several years and last moments of his life.
He was a great man and will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved him.
``We little knew the morning that God was going to call your name,
In life we loved you dearly, in death we do the same.
It broke our hearts to lose you, you did not go alone: For part of us went with you, the day God called you home.
You left us peaceful memories, your love is still our guide,
And though we cannot see you, you are always at our side.
Our family chain is broken, and nothing seems the same,
But as God calls us one by one, the chain will link again.'
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