John Wenzel De Jong

John Wenzel de Jong, 84, passed away peacefully on June 1, 2025, in Clovis, California, after a brief but courageous battle with leukemia.

Born on January 13, 1941, in Tilburg, the Netherlands, John was the beloved son of Emmanuel Michael and Johanna Gerdina de Jong.  As a young man, his family immigrated to California, where he graduated from Turlock High School in 1959.  Shortly afterward, he proudly enlisted in the United States Air Force, serving his adopted country with honor and distinction.

John married the love of his life, Roberta (Catanese) de Jong in Wichita, Kansas, with whom he shared 62 devoted years of marriage.  Following his retirement after 26 years of military service, the couple settled in Merced, California, where John continued to pursue his lifelong passion for aviation as a Flight instructor and Commercial pilot.

Together, John and Roberta raised three sons, to whom he instilled his values of integrity, hard work, and craftsmanship.  He was a strong-willed yet loving father, always encouraging his children to chase their dreams and lead lives of purpose.

John was a man of many interests and talents.  He found immense joy in flying, traveling, photography, and model train building.  A passionate fan of Dutch composer André Rieu, he was a frequent and enthusiastic concertgoer, as well as a dedicated translator and blogger who shared his love for Andrés’ music with others.  John also devoted countless hours to volunteering at the Castle Air Museum, playing a vital role in preserving aviation history for future generations.  A man of deep faith, he was an active and devoted member of his community church,

He is survived by his cherished wife, Roberta, and their three sons:

Anthony (Tony) de Jong and his wife Tracy (Buller), and their son Tanner, of Clovis, CA.

John (Jerry) de Jong of Chandler, AZ; and his son Ian de Jong and his wife Torri (Clark), and their daughter Zoey-Ann of Albuquerque, NM; his daughter Jennifer McDonald and her partner Danny Dacey, and their daughters Elle and Blossom, of Haverhill, England.

Michael de Jong and his wife Vanessa (Mellott), and their children Alex, Ahren, and Sarah, of Frisco, TX.

And survived by his sister Monique (de Jong) Carlyle and her husband Glynn of Fresno, CA.

John was preceded in death by his parents, Emmanuel and Johanna de Jong of Turlock, CA, along with his brother Robert, of Weert, the Netherlands and his sister Theresia, of Nederweert, the Netherlands.

A Military Honor memorial service will be held at 10:00 am on Monday, June 30, 2025, at the Immaculate Conception Mission Church; 2988 N. Buhach Road, Atwater, CA.  Father Paul Kado will officiate.  A reception will follow at the Castle Air Museum Banquet Hall; 5050 Sante Fe Drive, Atwater, CA.  All who knew and loved John are warmly invited to attend and celebrate his remarkable life.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made in John’s memory to either the Castle Air Museum, (https://castleairmuseum.org/ways-to-support-castle/) 5050 Santa Fe Dr, Atwater, CA 95301, or the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. (https://www.lls.org/)

Condolences and memories may be shared at the Wilson Family Funeral Chapel (https://www.wilsonfamilyfuneralchapel.com) of Atwater, CA.

The family extends their heartfelt gratitude to the compassionate staff at Clovis Community Medical Center for the exceptional care John received in his final days.

John’s legacy of service, kindness, and quiet strength lives on in all who had the privilege to know him.  He will be deeply missed.

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