Jon Elbert Hemmingson, loving husband, father and grandfather, 80, of Santa Maria passed away on March 15, 2025. He was born in West Union, Iowa, on July 15, 1944.

His family moved to Alamogordo, New Mexico, when he was 17.

After graduating from high school Jon went to trade school and became an electronic technician, and was hired in the communications department of the Santa Fe Railroad, spending all of his career in California.

He spent the first 15 years in Barstow. He then worked in Stockton for a few years, then Fresno, where he spent over half of his career, and retired after 41 years with the railroad, staying with them after the Burlington Northern bought out the Santa Fe.

Fresno is where Jon met the love of his life Vickie in 1982. They both went to their children’s elementary school one evening to sign their boys up for the Cub Scouts, and they both signed up to be leaders of the group. And the rest is history. They were together 42 wonderful years.

After Jon’s retirement in 2004, they moved from Fresno to Santa Maria in 2005. In 2007 they bought Vickie’s mother’s cabin in the Ozarks of Missouri. They stayed there each fall for three months doing lots of traveling around the country on their way.

Some of Jon’s most cherished memories of those trips were going back to his hometown of West Union, Iowa, which he hadn’t seen since he was 17.

His favorite national park visit was Yellowstone. And one of his most favorite trips was spending three weeks traveling the old Route 66 roads and seeing all the interesting places and people along the route.

He loved planes, trains and automobiles, and was a docent at the Santa Maria Museum of Flight for many years.

He also served in the Army National Guard.

JON is survived by his loving wife Vickie, of 37 years: son Mathew (Renee) Hemmingson of Walnut Creek, California: daughter Amy (Shanonn) Hemmingson of Clovis, California: sons Richard (Jeanna) Coombs of Chico, California, and Randy (Monica) Coombs of Fresno, California: 11 grandchildren; two brothers Gerry Hemmingson of Cottontown, Tennessee, and Danny (Barbara) Hemmingson of Stockton, California: and brother-in-law Ben Nash of Winchester, Oregon.

Jon was preceded in death by his parents Orvin and Grace Hemmingson; sisters Mary Nash of Oregon and Patsy Kell of Arizona: and brother Edward Hemmingson of Iowa.

Jon loved his family dearly and will be remembered with so much love by all of his family. His memory will forever live on in their hearts.

Visit www.dudleyhoffmanmortuary.com to leave a condolence for the family.