Jacob Dronenburg

Jacob William "Bill" Dronenburg was born September 14, 1913 in Washington D.C. He was the second of six children born to Franklin Lee and Isabelle Rimby (Pearson) Dronenburg. He grew up in Washington D.C. and graduated from Eastern High School in 1931. He went on to attend one year of Pre-Medical school at the University of Maryland. He later worked in the US Civil Service at the National Institute of Health as an Under Scientific Aid from May 16, 1941 to May 1, 1942 and was qualified in Research Laboratory Work. When World War II began, he enlisted in the US Navy Reserve on May 4, 1942 and completed 16 weeks of training at U.S. National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. During his enlistment, he served as a Pharmacists Mate 1st Class on the USS LST 777 and received six awards: the American Area Ribbon
Asiatic Pacific Ribbon (4 stars), the Philippine Liberation Ribbon (2 stars), the Naval Reserve Good Conduct Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal. He was honorably discharged on October 28, 1945 in Shoemaker, California, and was later awarded the Combat Action Ribbon (1 star) in 2002 by order of the Under Secretary of Defense.
After his discharge from the Navy, he hitch-hiked across the country and arrived in Denver, Colorado, two days before he married Donna Rae Johnson on November 18, 1945, at Washington Park United Methodist Church. He worked briefly for Gates Rubber Company and then for a neon sign company for a short time. His third job was with ITT Continental Baking (Wonder Bread), from which he retired after 31 years. He and Donna Rae were married for 48 years until she passed away in 1994, at which time he moved to San Diego, California, where he resided with his brother Ernest Justin "Judd" Dronenburg Sr. until returning to Colorado Springs in 2001.
He is survived by one sister, Jean (Richard) Cole, San Diego, California; his four children, Malinda (Larry) Kowalis, Thornton, Colorado; John (Cindy) Dronenburg, Colorado Springs, Colorado; James (Karin) Dronenburg, Atlanta, Georgia; and Jeffrey (Diane) Dronenburg Sr., Lexington Park, Maryland; fourteen grandchildren, Paul (Michelle) Kowalis; Amy (Andy) Pollart; Christine (Daniel) Sines; Michelle (Young) Choi; Heather (Samuel) Estrada; Kathleen Dronenburg; Mary Dronenburg; Jeremy (Tonya) Dronenburg; Ashley Dronenburg; Zachary Dronenburg; Jeffrey (Raquel) Dronenburg II; Kurt Dronenburg; Kristina Dronenburg; and Jacob Dronenburg; and eleven great-grandchildren.