Blanca Estela Hinojosa Jones passed away at 8 am on Thursday, September 30, 2021, in her home in Saratoga, California, after a short bout with pancreatic cancer.  She was just one month away from her 86 ^th birthday.  She was the beloved wife of Ed Jones, mother of four sons:  Marvin Roberts (Leah), Gerald Roberts (Laurie), Wayne Roberts (deceased) and Chuck Jones (Nadara), and the grandmother of seven blessed grandchildren: Shannon Roberts Rugani (Robert), Jimmy Roberts, Rebecca Roberts, Christina Roberts, John Roberts, Araya Jones and Asha Jones.  Her family was with her the night before her passing, and each had a one-on-one conversation with her at her bedside.  She was the matriarch of the family and had great influence on the lives of them all.  The last words she spoke were "I Love You" to Araya and Asha ages four and two.  They were the light of her life in her last few years.

Blanca was born in Edcouch, Texas, on October 28, 1935.  Her parents were Salvador Marcos Hinojosa and Marina Medina Hinojosa, who had fled from Mexico to McAllen, Texas, during the Mexican Revolution, 1910 to 1920.  She had 10 siblings.  She is survived by Hilda Gorena (Oscar), Ruben (Marty), Rene (Deanna) and Carlos (Emma) Hinojosa.  Those deceased were Gloria Ochoa (Joe), Salvador Hector (Alicia), Hilda, Liborio (Josie), Oscar and Jamie (Mercedes) Hinojosa.  She had 43 nieces and nephews.

Blanca attended the Mexican-American grammar school in Edcouch.  She worked in her father's grocery store in off hours and weekends where she was recognized by the principal of the Edcouch Caucasian school and invited to transfer.  She was the first Mexican-American to attend that Caucasian school where she excelled.  Her family soon moved from Edcouch to Mercedes, Texas, where she attended Mercedes High School and graduated valedictorian in 1953.  She was crowned Miss Mercedes in 1953.  She attended Pan American College for one year and was crowned Miss Bronco Days Queen as a freshman.  The big city of Dallas and her older sister, Hilda, drew her to North Texas State in Denton, Texas, for two more years of college.  She received a degree in accounting and business in 1956.  She was a member of Future Business Leaders of America and the Alpha Lambda Pi business fraternity.  Blanca went to work for Texas Instruments in Dallas, met her first husband, Donald Roberts, and gave birth to her first two boys, Marvin and Gerald.  On a trip in 1960 to Northern California, Blanca fell in love with the place and moved to Sunnyvale within two weeks.  Her third son, Wayne, was born there.  She and Don bought a lot and built a house in Saratoga.  With three young boys in tow, she was the general contractor for that house.  Blanca soon acquired employment at Lockheed Missiles and Space Company (LMSC) Research facility in Palo Alto.  It was there where she met her second husband, Ed Jones.  They married on June 1, 1975. She gave birth to her fourth son, Chuck, on April 3, 1977.  She was in charge of the cost proposal for the largest contract given to LMSC Research at that time and was offered the job of controller.  Instead, she decided to come home and take care of Chuck, who was one year old at the time.  She was asked to return to her old job several times, but opted to stay home with her family.  Blanca and Ed resided in the same house they bought in Saratoga for their 46 years together.  She was extremely serious about her health and physical condition.  She prepared wonderful wholesome meals every day.  She worked out with girls less than half her age at the YMCA three or more times a week.  She was simply amazing.  Quite a life for a Mexican-American girl growing up in the Rio Grande Valley in the 30's, 40's and 50's.

Blanca was an extremely talented artist.  No fewer than 19 of her paintings adorned her home.  Many times, she would stay up all night to finish a painting and get it just the way she wanted.  She studied sculpture and pottery at West Valley College in Saratoga where she completed several bronze sculptured castings and stone sculptures along with numerous pottery pieces.  Her work captures the attention of all visitors.  She loved music and the theater.  Her three sons are accomplished musicians.  Marvin and Chuck are guitarists, and Gerald is a drummer.  Her oldest granddaughter, Shannon, was a ballerina with the San Francisco Ballet for eleven years, performed on Broadway, and is now a singer/songwriter. Granddaughter Christina is a very accomplished pianist.  She has a degree in theater and drama and has produced and directed numerous plays in the Denver area.  Grandson Jimmy is a natural athlete and is now a tennis pro coaching some of the top future and current tennis players in the world.  Granddaughter Rebecca is a health coach, as well as a world class skier and rock climber; she recently summited El Capitan in Yosemite.  Grandson John recently earned his business degree from Colorado State University and has a position in a motorcycle dealership in Fort Collins, Co.  Granddaughters Araya and Asha are very young but are beginning to show Nana's artistic and athletic influence and an everyday love for life.  Blanca always encouraged the people around her to enjoy and excel in the activities they loved.  Her genetic and parental influence on her children and grandchildren is obvious.

Blanca's first love was always her family from California to Texas to Colorado to Utah.  She was immensely proud of her three boys, their spouses and their children.  She never missed a birthday, graduation, recital, or special event.  Several of her grandchildren lived in her house for months at a time while pursuing career options.  She had many friends from California to Texas to North Carolina.  She called them all her "extended family."  They all shared her love.  One old and very close friend described her with this list of attributes: "sparkling personality, kind, generous, great mother, great homemaker, smart, strikingly beautiful, vivacious, strong and energetic, thoughtful and considerate, artistic, superb gourmet chef, great dinner companion, disciplined, reliable, great sense of humor."  These descriptions and even more apply to her.  Blanca never met a stranger.  She was as at home in a room full of U.S. Congressmen and Senators as she was in a room full of young upstarts and children; never shy to express her opinion and always gracious with her praise and gratitude.  Often, she would stop an actor, musician, chef, etc.  to compliment them on their performance that she had just enjoyed.  That was her way, always beautiful, gracious and loving.  She will be sorely missed by many.

The family plans to hold a Celebration of Life for Blanca at the Boulder Ridge Golf Club,1000 Quarry Rd, San Jose, Ca., on November 19 from 2 PM until 6 PM.  If you plan attending, please RSVP to Ed Jones via text at (408) 466-4017 or via email at cedj@sbcglobal.net .  For additional information concerning the Celebration of Life please see the Alameda Family Funeral website, www.funeralcremation.com.  In lieu of flowers, please make your donation in Blanca's name to the charity of your choosing