Joseph Melton DeGonia, 82, of Riverside, Calif., died July 18, 2016, at Riverside Community Hospital. Mr. DeGonia was born June 17, 1934, in Morse Mill, the son of the late Thomas and Stella (Bahr) DeGonia. He was a 1952 graduate of Hillsboro High School and left Missouri to enlist in the U.S. Air Force, where he served more than 20 years on active duty and retired as a Master Sergeant at Norton AFB in California. He was an avid lover of golf and spent many years working for and playing at the General Old Golf Course. He was preceded in death by his wife: Jackie DeGonia.
He is survived by a sister: Delores Hulett of St. Louis; a brother: John (Arlene) DeGonia of Festus; four sons: Joseph DeGonia Jr. of Riverside, Michael (Karla) DeGonia of Yucaipa, Christopher (Yuliya) DeGonia of Redlands and Eric (Sheila) DeGonia of Duluth, Minn.; four stepchildren: Mike (Kerry) Hamilton of Murrieta, Chuck (Marjie) Hamilton of Riverside, Rayelle Bue of Riverside and Jack (Janelle) Hamilton of Wildomar; two grandsons; 21 step-grandchilden; three great-grandchildren; eight step-great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by two sisters: Elsie Mae DeGonia and Anna Kemper; a brother-in-law: Bill Hulett; a daughter: Mary DeGonia; and a daughter-in-law: Peggy DeGonia.
Visitation is scheduled from 4-8 p.m. Sunday, July 31, at Acheson and Graham Garden of Prayer Mortuary, 7944 Magnolia Ave., Riverside, Calif. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Aug. 1, at the funeral home. Burial will be at 1 p.m. at Riverside National Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Acheson and Graham Mortuary.