Lieutenant Colonel John R. Voneida, U.S.M.C. Ret.

JOHN R. VONEIDA Lt. Col. John R. Voneida, USMC Retired, 57, of Woodway, died Monday, April 7, 2003 after a long illness. Rosary and visitation will be at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home on Washington Ave. Mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. Monday at St. Jerome Catholic Church in Hewitt with Father Don Loftin as celebrant. Military honors will be rendered in the courtyard of the church following the service. Lt. Col. Voneida was born June 7, 1945 to Harold and Mary Lou Voneida of Columbus, Ohio. He graduated from Eastmoor High School and attended Ohio State University before enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1965. After graduating from recruit training at MCRD in San Diego, PFC Voneida began flight training as a MARCAD in Pensacola, Florida, and was commissioned a 2nd Lt., receiving his pilot’s wings in August, 1967. From 1968-69, Lt. Voneida flew UH-1E gunships with VMO-3 in Viet Nam. Following his tour in Viet Nam, he was assigned to the Second Marine Division, where he served three tours with the infantry--first as a Battalion Air Liaison Officer; then as a Marine Amphibious Unit Air Officer; and finally as a Division Air Officer. It was at this time that he met and married his wife, Susan, whose father was commanding officer of the Eighth Marine Regiment. John and Susan were married January 17, 1970 at Camp Lejeune, N.C. In June, 1970, Lt. Voneida was reassigned to VMO-1 at MCAS New River, N.C., where he flew both Huey helicopters and OV-10 Broncos. He served as Squadron Safety Officer, Operations Officer, Maintenance Officer, and Detachment Officer-in-Charge during his several tours with VMO. John graduated from Auburn University in 1976 with a BA in Aviation Management. In May, 1982 he received his MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business. From 1982-85 Lt. Col. Voneida served as the Production Officer at the Naval Air Rework Facility, MCAS Cherry Point, NC. In June, 1985, he was reassigned to III Marine Amphibious Force, where he served as the Assistant G-4. After another tour with the Second Marine Air Wing, Lt. Col. Voneida retired in 1988 and moved with his family to Waco, where he joined Electrospace Systems, Inc. as a Supervisor. Hohn became a Department Head in 1989 when CTAS was formed. John subsequently left CTAS and worked at Merrill Lynch for a number of years before going to work for Tom Salome at M. Lipsitz and Co. In August of 2000, his failing health required him to retire once again. John was a member of the Leadership Waco class of 1990-91 and worked with the Chamber of Commerce on several projects. He is a past president of The Retired Officers Association. John served on the Waco Art Center board for several years, and donated many hours as a volunteer with the Adopt-A-School program now Partners in Education. Waco I.S.D. named him a Volunteer of the Year for 2001. John was exceedingly proud of his two sons, Jared and Ryan. Jared graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and is now a Captain, U.S.M.C., stationed in Japan, where he is the Communications Officer for the Marine Detachment. Ryan graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy and is now a 1st Lieutenant, U.S.A.F., flying H-60 Pave Hawk helicopters out of Moody AFB, Georgia. Also very dear to John were his friends and fellow Knights of Columbus at St. Jerome Catholic Church. John was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his loving wife and sons; his brother Joel and wife Carol of Twenty-Nine Palms, CA; his sister Janet Calhoun and husband Roger of Smyrna, GA; brother Jeffrey; sister-in-law Carol Kamm and husband Charlie of Metamora, IL; sister-in-law Joanne James of Denver, Co; sister-in-law Janet Yonkers of Temecula, CA; sister-in-law Edie Peterson and husband Andy of New Hartford, NY; brother-in-law John Greenstone and wife Lori of Fallbrook, CA; brother-in-law Tom Greenstone and wife Joanne of Oceanside, CA; sister-in-law Marty Dargel and husband Carl of Murrieta, CA; and numerous nieces and nephews. The family would like to extend heartfelt thanks to the staff, CNAs, and nurses of the William R. Courtney Texas State Veterans Home in Temple. Their kindness and caring helped ease the pain of John’s illness. Memorials may be made to the National Parkinson’s Foundation, 1501 N.W. 9th Ave., Bob Hope Road, Miami, FL, 33136-1494 or The Parkinson Alliance directed to research, 211 College Road East, 3rd Floor, Princeton, NJ, 08520.