Dale L. Jones December 28, 1937 - May 26, 2012

Sisters resident Dale L. Jones, loving husband and father, died on May 26, 2012 after a long struggle with heart and lung disease. A man of great faith, Dale departed earth ready to be with his Creator.

Dale was born in Glendale, California, in 1937 to Ralph and Dorothy Jones. With his brother, Dennis, his family moved to Dale's "home town," Vacaville, California in 1946. Out of high school Dale served four years in the Navy aboard the aircraft carrier Lexington. After his service, Dale returned to Vacaville in 1959 where he met and married the love of his life, Barbara McLaughlin, and embarked on a sales career.

The charter president of the Vacaville Junior Chamber of Commerce, Dale won several awards in retail sales positions, but found deepest joy and satisfaction in his own business ventures. He operated his own window coverings business in Eugene, and created a number of successful sales and advertising businesses in Eugene, Salem and Central Oregon. Dale pioneered Nintendo console rentals through video stores, established direct mail advertising businesses, and created the Central Oregon Mall and 12 other electronic "malls," giving small-business-people an inexpensive presence on the Web.

Dale had a giving heart and often gave money to friends in need as fast as he made it. He won a national award in 1979 for placing C.B. radios in assisted living homes to connect residents, and wrote a "Drug Free America" program that provided merchant rewards to youth who pledged to remain drug-free.

Dale loved playing tennis, trout fishing on Clear Lake, playing pool, reading and writing, entertaining his grandchildren, and playing with his menagerie of pets.

Surviving Dale are his beloved wife Barbara; children Troy, Todd and Christina; grandchildren Leif, Amia, Joseph, Baylie, Ellie, Katie, Jesse, Misty and Crystal; and great-grandchildren Joseph, Jayden and Zoey.

A memorial service for Dale will be held on Wednesday, May 30, at 1 p.m. at New Hope Christian Center, 222 Trinity Way, in Sisters. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the church.