Nevada Jane Bone

Nevada Jane Peck was born on April 8, 1913, in a small stone house with a dirt floor in the hills of Tonopah, Nevada, to John Emmet "Jack" Peck, Superintendent of the Tonopah Goldfield Railroad, and Francis Pearl "Peggy" Conlin. There, Nevada grew to love the outdoors and hiking on her very special green mountain.

At age 10, she moved with her sisters and her Mother to Santa Cruz. While at Santa Cruz High School, Nevada excelled in academics and sports. She loved working on the Santa Cruz wharf speedboats, playing tennis, and she was the Girls' Athletic League President. She met her husband, Kenneth Emerson Bone, from San Jose at the Santa Cruz Coconut Grove big-band dance pavilion. They eloped to Reno in 1934, but didn't tell anyone for four months while she paid off her new fur coat working as a cosmetologist. Ken worked for PG&E in San Jose for 44 years after they first settled in Mountain View.

Nevada was very active in the San Jose Women's Club during the war years and continued playing tennis at Backesto Park after they moved to 12th and Julian in San Jose, where they had their two boys, Ken in 1941 and Ron in 1945. The boys were raised on Bello Avenue in Lincoln Glen across the street from Saint Christopher's Church. Nevada kept busy as a Cub Scout den mother. She supervised voter election polls in her various homes and at The Villages for more than 50 years. She loved seeing all of her neighbors every year, and knew most of them by name. During the 1950s she was the Revlon and Helena Rubenstein representative at Macy's and was a member of the San Jose Racket Club when it opened.

In 1961 Nevada and her family moved to Camellia Drive on the 17th fairway of the Almaden Golf Club where she and Ken later became members. Ken became the President of the new private Almaden Golf and Country Club. Nevada's love of bridge, golf, and tennis continued for the next 40+ years, especially at The Villages after moving there in 1971. She also enjoyed daily swimming, the hiking club, the women's bridge club, being a chapel greeter, participating in the VLGS amateur theatre plays, playing mixed doubles, playing in the Women's 18 Hole golf group, the Red Dog Golf, and participating in the annual 4th of July parade. Her grandchildren loved the annual parade, Easter egg hunt, and being with their Grandma Bone. Her proudest achievements were beating younger tennis teams, her hole-in-one on the 6th hole at Almaden in 1966, and making new friends.

Neighbors may remember the infamous Montgomery Court 20 commodes incident when Nevada backed into and broke every one of the low flow toilets lined in a row next to her driveway. Nevada directed the annual Macy's Eastridge fashion show for many years. Her husband of 47 years, Ken, passed away in 1978 after their cruise around the world. Nevada continued her independent lifestyle, travel, and various activities with her many friends at The Villages, especially her trips with her tennis pals Winnie Chipman and Pat Jenkins. Nevada loved her friends and loved living life to its fullest. She loved her golf trips to Jamaica, her trips to China, Canada, and Las Vegas, and taking her daughter-in-law Lana on one of her cruises to Mexico. Nevada never revealed her age, always young!

Her favorite trip was her very special trip back to Tonopah to see her home site and favorite childhood places with both of her sons. Nevada loved playing Uno, Dirty Dora, and 99 with her family, especially with her grandchildren. They loved playing cards with Grandma Bone and looked forward to a game on every visit.

Her only regret was that she outlived her husband, her sisters, and so many of her dear friends like Bill Aldrich. Many other friends like Winnie have moved away. Her next door neighbor and very good, longtime friend Paul Betten was there for her almost daily, even on her last day. Nevada's caregiver of nine years, Esther Blanco, Esther's husband Bagnos, and her niece Daisy took exceptionally good care of her and became part of her family, allowing her to enjoy her life.

Nevada passed away at home peacefully in her sleep on June 23, 2011.

Nevada is survived by her loving sons, Ken and Ron; daughters-in-law Lana and Colleen; grandchildren Scott and Kristin, Danielle and Kitrell Hayslett, and Jacqueline; and

great-grandsons Alexander and Nicholas. She relished spending time watching her generations of children grow, play, love, learn and most of all, enjoy an active life.

We are celebrating Nevada's wonderful life at The Villages with her family, friends, and neighbors in casual conversations and shared tributes. We are dressing casual in the bright colors that Nevada so loved (she was our own Auntie Mame). Please share good stories of Nevada's active life as we celebrate the joy and passion with which she lived.

Anyone wishing, may make a donation in Nevada's name to The Villages Medical Auxiliary, Children's Hospital of Oakland, 747 52nd Street, Oakland, CA 94609, 510-428-3000; Hospice of the Valley, 4850 Union Ave., San Jose, CA 95124-5156, 408-559-5600; or to the Alzheimer's Association, 1060 La Avenida St., Mountain View, CA 94043, 1-650-962-8111. Thank you.

Nevada loved to win, she loved everyone, and she loved life. She was a one-of-a-kind gal and a real winner. Thank you for your friendship to our Mom, Nevada. We love her very much.

Ken & Ron Bone and Family