Rodney A. Jones

Obituary

On the great day of November 24, 1944, Rodney Allen Jones was born to the parents of Launice Katherine Bush and Carey Ardell Jones of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Rodney was the sixth oldest of 14 children. His mother would remarry and Rodney would be raised by both his mother and stepfather Percy Lee Cummings, where he would grow up in New Castle, Pennsylvania. Rodney attended New Castle Senior High School in New Castle PA where he played sports. While he loved all sports, his favorites to play were baseball and basketball, Rodney was the star player on his high school team. After high school, he would then join the Military. He served in the Navy for a couple of years where he worked on a fleet tub. He would recover those who perished at sea. Being in the military had its positives and negatives. Positives you get to travel around the world and see many different places. Rodney had a chance to go to Vietnam he would fight in the Vietnam War. The negative side of the military that one would see so many tragedies that could have long-term effects. Rodney couldn't bear to see any more tragedies. So he would be honorably discharged after serving two and a half years. After the military, he would move to Boston where he lived there for several years. He didn't care much for Boston so he moved out west to Los Angeles. While in LA he worked as a short-order cook at Hamburger Hamlet to get on his feet. He then started painting, he painted residential and commercial buildings throughout the city of Los Angeles. 

In his spare time, he would play in different bands and nightclubs around the city. Rodney loved to play the conga drums and the tambourine. While performing one night he would meet his future wife, Sandra Winfrey, they would move to her hometown of San Francisco, CA. They would get married in 1981 in Reno, NV. After they got married they were on a journey to start their life together. Sandra worked for the San Francisco Unified School District as an Administrative Assistant for Student Nutrition Services. Sandra would then help Rodney get his foot in the door where he would work in food services until retirement in 2005. Alongside working in the school district Rodney would volunteer and coach Junior Varsity basketball at several different junior high and high schools in the San Francisco area. In 1982 Rodney and Sandra would welcome their first child together Jasmine Jones. Jasmine was the apple of Rodney's eye. He loved everything about being a father/ #GirlDad Growing up he would teach Jasmine how to play different instruments, he enjoyed taking her and the neighborhood kids to the park, music festivals, sporting events, even work sometimes, and so much more. 

The two were inseparable until Jasmine went off to college. Once she graduated and came back home the two would pick up where they left off, traveling and hanging out and creating memories. After retirement Rodney could not sit still he started working at Candlestick Park. He continued on the path of nutrition he worked the concession stands during the SF Giants, and 49ers games. He enjoyed doing that because he got to meet so many different people from different walks of life, Rodney met no strangers. Later he would then part ways with Candlestick Park and in 2010 he and Sandra would become grandparents to their first and only grandchild, Chance Herring. He adored Chance and would spend the majority of his time with Chance taking him to the park, or for ice cream or sharing with him one of his many stories and much more. When Jasmine and Chance decided to move to Las Vegas 2013, Rodney was not going to be that far behind. He and his grandson were truly inseparable; he wanted to be near Chance so he could spend as much time with him, make even more memories and to watch him grow. Although his heart was in San Francisco, Rodney also had his two sisters living in Las Vegas at the time, he enjoyed being around family so this made the move a little bit easier. Other than spending time with his grandson he would love to play dominoes, bid whist, chess, read the news paper, work crossword puzzles, listen to music especially Jazz, he enjoyed watching westerns, he loved watching his sports especially his San Francisco sport teams The Warriors, The 49ers and The Giants.

 He would even watch reruns if season was over. Most important he loved to be around family and friends. Although, no longer serving in the military, it was like Rodney was constantly at war with his health and life situations. Rodney’s health was slowly deteriorating over the years but he didn’t let that stop him from getting around. In 1996 he was diagnosed with Lung Cancer; it was detected early so he was able to make a full recovery. A few years later he had a hip replacement, and in 2005 he had a second hip replacement. In 2014 his wife of 33 years passed away to Lung Cancer. In 2015 Rodney was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer and had to go through Chemotherapy. In 2016, he beat and made a full recovery from Prostate Cancer. In 2018 Rodney's hip needed to be replaced again, and this time around the doctors said his hip was in such bad condition that it was a miracle he was even walking. In early 2019 Rodney lost a sister, later that year his stepson died in a plane crash over the Pacific Ocean. In 2020 he would battle with Covid, on March 24, 2021, due to complications of Covid and other underline health issues Rodney would bow out gracefully. During his last week, he built up enough strength to talk to friends and family near and far. He had a heart of gold. no matter how much suffering and pain he went through he wanted you to know he was going to be alright. His spirit was that of a Warrior and will forever be in our hearts. 

Preceded in Rodney’s death were his wife, Sandra O. Winfrey-Jones, and stepson Justin Winfrey. His parents, Launice K. Cummings, Percy L.Cummings, Carey Jones. Three sisters and two brothers, Denise Cummings, Dianne Harvey, and Debra Jefferson, Arthur "Red" Jones, and Maxwealth Ra. Rodney leaves to celebrate his life and cherish his fond memories, his daughter Jasmine Jones-Herring (Brandon) of Las Vegas. He leaves his precious imprint on his grandson Chance I. Herring of Las Vegas. One brother Jeffrey Cummings (Monica) of Lancaster, CA. Six sisters Patricia Jones (Las Vegas), Donna Hargrave (Las Vegas), Saundra McCarter (Reseda, CA), and Launice Cummings (Lancaster, CA). Rodney leaves behind a host of nieces and nephews and many family and friends from around the world to honor and cherish his memory.

Acknowledgements

 The family of Rodney A. Jones wishes to express its profound thanks to each of you for your kindness. Perhaps you sent flowers or made us a meal. Perhaps you sent a lovely card or maybe we saw you there. Perhaps you spoke the kindest words that any friend could say. Perhaps you were not there at all but thought and prayed for us that day. Your thoughtfulness has meant so much and everything you have done is truly appreciated. A warm thank you to the Staff at Royal Springs Healthcare, Mountain View Hospital, Nathan Adelson Hospice Care, Serenity Funeral Home, and Pastor Naida Parsons and to friends and family near and far, we THANK YOU!