R. Dale Jones, age 83 years, of Hillsboro, passed away on Saturday, March 15, 2014 at the Gundersen St. Joseph’s Hospital in Hillsboro, Wisconsin.

He was born on March 29, 1930; his mother, Lena Cusic Jones died following child birth, so he was raised on his grandfather’s farm near Topeka, Kansas by his grandparents, Arly and Lucy Cusic and aunts.  Following high school he graduated from the University of Oklahoma, where he also played football.

R. Dale then operated a farm in Kansas, where he married Barbara and they had two sons, they later divorced.

He later farmed in Indiana and became involved with a training program on the farm working with Senator Birch Bayh and involving many Japanese trainees in farming.  He also became an honorary member of the Purdue Agricultural Department.

After some time R. Dale was farming near Marshall, Wisconsin and married Myrna Sue; she later preceded him in death.  He was very involved with cattle buying and dairy cattle.  He was one of the last surviving members involved with the origination of the World Dairy Expo in Madison.  He also was a member of the Wisconsin Holstein Association and The National Dairy Shrine.

In 1998, he married Barbara (Havlik) Goodrich and shortly thereafter moved to Hillsboro, Wisconsin.  He became active in the community, serving as President of the Hillsboro City Council and also was President of Cesky Den for five years.  He could also be found with his many friends in the morning at the local café.

He enjoyed athletics of many kinds, watching and attending many games over the years and was a supporter of the University of Wisconsin sports, and also enjoyed his many friendships over those years.

Survivors include his wife, Barbara of Hillsboro; a son, Robert Dale Jones II in Kansas; an aunt, Mary Erickson of Antioch, California and a step daughter, Robin (Patrick) Kilgannon of New City, New York. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Myrna Sue; a son, Michael; five Aunts, an Uncle and a stepson, Gregory Goodrich.

Funeral Services were held on Tuesday, March 18, 2014 at 11 a.m. at the St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Hillsboro, with Rev. Conrad Prell officiating.  Burial was in the Greenwood Lutheran Cemetery, rural Hillsboro.  Friends called at the Picha Funeral Home in Hillsboro on Monday from 4 to 7 p.m. and at the Church on Tuesday from 10 to 11 a.m. For online information go to www.pichafuneralhomes.com