Rita and Gary Jardon - Coalinga, CA - Dedicated Trees on Waymarking.com

Located in front of the R.C. Baker Memorial Museum are a number of dedicated trees. One of the dedicated trees contains a small plaque monumented on the sidewalk near the tree's base and it reads:

In Loving Memory
of
Rita & Gary Jardon
By Daughters
Leslie & Susan

Gary Oscar Jardon lived from 1927 to 1971. Rita Mae Johnson Jardon lived from 1922 to 1992. Both are buried at Pleasant Valley Cemetery in Coalinga. Gary's obituary is located on FindaGrave.com here and it reads:

Gary Jardon was born on March 6, 1927 in Proctor, Colorado. His parents, Mildred and Milton Jardon, moved their family to California in 1930. Gary had two older brothers, Noel and Milton. He attended schools in Kettleman City, Avenal, Lemoore and Coalinga. At the age of 16, he joined the Merchant Marines. At twenty years old, he married the love of his life, Rita Johnson Fritzie.

Gary was employed with Standard Oil during the first years of their marriage. In 1951, they had their first daughter, Leslie Ann. In 1954, their second daughter, Susan Rae, was born. Gary was a very talented, intelligent, creative person. Gary was very community minded--active in the local Lions Club, the Masons, and a member of the Coalinga District Hospital Board. Together, Rita and Gary built the business, Gary's Men's Shop in Coalinga. He successfully owned and operated the business until his untimely death in July, 1971.

He will always be remembered as a loving husband and devoted father and will live in the hearts of his family forever. He was "One of the Greatest Generation". We will forever be grateful for the love, the work ethic, the self discipline, the integrity, and personal responsibility that was given to us by the way that he lived his life and touched the lives of others. We love you, Dad.

Rita's obituary is also located on FindaGrave.com here and it reads:

Rita Mae Johnson was born to Ray and Celie Johnson in Coalinga on May 27, 1922. She had an older brother, Dale Edward Johnson.

Rita was graduated from Coalinga High School in 1940 and Coalinga Junior College in 1942. She was employed as a secretary at the Lemoore Naval Air Base. In 1944, she married a fellow high school classmate of hers, Herbert Fritzie, who was serving in the United States Marine Corp. Following six weeks of marriage, Rita was widowed and remained living in Coalinga. In 1947, she met and married Gary Jardon, and they raised two daughters, Leslie and Susan.

Rita and Gary owned and operated Gary's Men's Shop, located on Main Street in Coalinga. In 1971, Gary passed away, and Rita ran the business for the next 1 1/2 years.

Rita was the niece of Verna and Bill Wallace and also the niece of John Carrington and Bessie Cody, and a descendant of Buffalo Bill Cody. She will always be remembered as a very loving, devoted wife and mother, always considering family first.

Location of the tree: R.C. Baker Memorial Museum Type of tree: Elm

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