Jolene Morris Walden passed away peacefully on Mondy, August 3, 2026, at the age of 92 in Fresno, California. Born in Welty, Oklahoma, on December 29, 1933, Jolene’s early life was defined by the Dust Bowl. After her grandpa lost the farm, the family decided to go west. By the time they got to Salinas, California, her mother said, "This is as far as I am going". Her family’s journey west mirrored "The Grapes of Wrath", traveling by car to California when she was just a toddler. From ages three to nine, Jolene lived in a tent in Salinas as her family followed the crops, an experience that forged her resilient spirit.
In 1949, she met Jack O’Neal Walden, a Navy service member. They eloped and married on July 4, 1950. Together, they raised four children—Janet, Jack Jr., Kaye, and Jill—primarily in Sunnyvale, California. Jolene later worked for 12 years at Fairchild Semiconductor and was active in the MASON'S Grotto.
Jack, who passed away in early 2025, was a veteran, engineer and prolific inventor. After serving in the Navy, he opened Walden’s Refrigeration, worked for Lockheed and eventually founded JEMCO, where he patented systems to automate electrical systems for Atari. He was a dedicated Mason and served as a leader in the Grotto and Sciots.
In retirement in SaddleBrooke, Jack remained a pillar of the community, serving on the Oracle School Board, co-founding Dessert and Discussion, an organization that meets monthly on the first Friday of each month. Jack started Walden’s Greenenergy Solar, LLC, and got patents while in SaddleBrooke for his solar panel inventions. He developed solar technology well into his 90s.
Jolene was a dedicated mother and a wonderful wife during their 75 years of marriage. She loved music, dancing, arts and crafts and movies. She really didn't like to cook, but she was good at it and her SaddleBrooke neighbors always enjoyed receiving her homemade cookies at Christmas. Following Jack’s death, she moved to Fresno to be with family. She was the last surviving sibling of her original traveling party and is survived by her children, 12 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren, two great-great-grandchildren and two siblings, Jewel and George.
No formal services will be held for her.
