Wayne Jones, 72, of Mendota, went to be with the Lord on September 2, 2018 at Heritage Health, Mendota.   A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00 a.m., on Saturday, September 8th at First United Methodist Church, Mendota with Rev. Mary Bohall officiating. A private burial will be held at a later date at Argyle Cemetery, Argyle.

Wayne was born on March 2, 1946, in Rockford to Charles D. and Delores (Dvorak) Jones. He attended Windsor Grade School, Hamilton Junior High School and Harlem High School in Loves Park. He attended Western Illinois University and graduated with a bachelor of science degree in education from Northern Illinois University in 1969. In that same year, Wayne's father received his high school diploma.

Wayne's career in teaching began with 6 ^th grade students at Lincoln Elementary School in Mendota where he taught for seven years and assisted with the school safety patrol program and then taught at Northbrook Junior High and Middle School in 6 ^th and 8 ^th grades. He was the first educator to implement the Odessey of the Mind program for gifted and

talented students and directed several school plays in Mendota District #289. For several years, Wayne taught gifted and migrant students during the summer months and received the Migrant Teacher of the Year award in 1999. Wayne held memberships in the Illinois Retired Teachers Association, Illinois Education Association and was a life member of the National Education Association. He retired in 2003 and was honored with a retired teacher award from the LaSalle County Regional Office of Education in recognition of his 34 years of teaching in the Mendota Elementary District.

During his teaching career, he was actively involved with youth activities within his community. He coached Mendota Little League baseball and served a one year term as President, coached intermural basketball, worked with youth bowling leagues at Bowl Air and the Mendota Elks Club where he taught bowling lessons and was the Boy Scout Master for the Troy Grove scout troop which he traveled with to the International Boy Scout Jamboree in Idaho. As an avid stamp collector, he instituted a stamp club for interested students. He served as Superintendent of the country schoolhouse located on the Tri-County fairgrounds in Mendota where projects from students in grades K-8 ^th were displayed each fall at the fair.

After retiring from teaching, Wayne worked at North Central Behavioral Health Systems in Peru where he was a driver and in charge of the transportation department for five years. He and his beloved dog, Obadiah, volunteered at the Vitas Hospice organization in LaSalle where together they enjoyed visits with the patients.

Wayne was involved with the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Compton where he served as secretary of the church council, general fund treasurer and a one year term as church President. He enjoyed traveling to all 48 contiguous states in the U.S. with friends and former students. He organized the annual car show in Troy Grove for almost twenty years.

Wayne is survived by his brother, Charles H.  (Billie) Jones, one niece, nephews, uncles, aunts and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a nephew Kevin, and paternal and maternal grandparents.

Memorial donations may be given to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).