Jason Kennedy Menefee

Jason Kennedy Menefee -- a devoted father and fiercely loyal friend to
many who worked extremely hard and played even harder while reveling
in the biker/outlaw lifestyle -- has died after a bout with metastatic
melanoma.
Jason passed peacefully on the morning of Dec. 12, 2025. His fiance,
Hanna Hildebrand, took tireless, compassionate and loving care of
Jason, and allowed him to pass exactly how he wanted to go, in their
home in San Juan Bautista, Calif., surrounded by and receiving love
from his family and friends.
He was 48.
The son of Douglas Kennedy Menefee and Julia Celeste Giannandrea,
Jason was born April 27, 1977, at Alta Hospital in Dinuba, Calif.
Jason spent most of his childhood living with his mother in Santa
Cruz, Calif., in a home he cherished that was originally owned by his
maternal great grandparents, Francesco and Nuncia Franceschini. It was
during this time that Jason got his first job delivering newspapers
for the Santa Cruz Sentinel. Jason loved playing sports as a kid,
especially baseball, and took his cat, Sylvester, everywhere he could.
As a teenager, Jason lived in the Dinuba area with both his paternal
grandparents (Clint and Barbara Menefee) and maternal grandparents
(Deno and Rita Giannandrea).
During these years, Jason developed the strong work ethic he carried
throughout his life while helping out on his Giannandrea grandparents'
ranch in Orosi, Calif. He became a skilled forklift driver for his
grandparents at Giannandrea Packing in Sultana, Calif., and loaded
bins of kiwi and tree fruit onto the kinds of trucks he would later
make a career out of driving.
After high school, Jason worked for several area packing houses
loading trucks before eventually deciding he wanted to get into the
other side of the agriculture business and drive trucks. Jason's
father Doug and friend Charlie Neal let him practice in their trucks
until he secured his Class A license and began local and long hauling,
with his Chihuahua, Killer, by his side.
Jason eventually moved back to Santa Cruz and began driving for
Hildebrand Trucking, a company based in Parajo, Calif., that he would
work for on and off the rest of his life.
In 2014, Jason and his now ex-wife Paula Mercedes Menefee moved into
his maternal grandparent's historic Victorian home in Orosi. During
his downtown from driving for Elite Trucking of Kingsburg, Calif.,
Jason took great pride in restoring the beauty of the property after
years of neglect.
Then in 2018, desiring a return to the community he always considered
home, Jason received the opportunity to move back into the home in
Santa Cruz where he grew up. He went back to work hauling rock and
gravel for Hildebrand Trucking, and took pristine care of the 389
Longhood Sleeper Truck that he drove.
For the last three years of his life, Jason's primary job was for the
Caltrain railroad out of the Bay Area as a welder/helper. Longtime
Menefee family friend Edmond Soso helped hook Jason up with the job
after crossing paths at a concert.
Jason's passion involved anything with a loud engine, such as his
Sanger jet boat, 1982 Chevrolet El Camino, 1977 Chevy pickup, 1997
Chevy UConn and his 2012 Harley Davidson Street Glide motorcycle. He
worked on and/or restored all of them and relished cruising in them,
particularly his jet boat and motorcycle. Jason developed his love of
motorcycles and riding from his beloved grandpa Deno, and spent three
years as a prospect of the Half Moon Bay-based Coast Riders motorcycle
club.
Jason's other passion was his children, daughter Rita Sophia Menefee,
9, and son Domenico Kennedy Menefee, 7. He always did whatever he
could to put a smile on their faces, and was very proud of their
accomplishments.
Jason was also proud of his beard, which he grew from his chin to his
waist and separated into his signature look of two long braids.
Jason's beard was so impressive that he won a Best Beard contest in
Sacramento in 2016.
Jason's hobbies and interests included disc golfing, camping, spending
time at the beach and going to concerts. He loved to cook, barbecued a
delicious steak and could tell a story like no other.
Jason had many friends from all his various stops in life, held them
all in high regard and appreciated every one of them for being in his
life. Jason is now reunited, and no doubt riding motorcycles and
enjoying beers, with close friend John Tarbell, who passed in 2020.
Jason is survived by his two children, fiance, father and sister
Kenedee Menefee. He was preceded in death by his mother, all of his
grandparents and his beloved uncle Mark Menefee.
A viewing/rosary for Jason is scheduled for 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at
Chapel of the Light, 1620 W. Belmont Ave, Fresno, Calif. Graveside
service is set for 1 p.m. Dec. 23 at Mountain View Cemetery, 1411 W.
Belmont Ave, in Fresno, Calif.
A reception will follow from 2-4 p.m. at Cattlemen's Steakhouse, 1880
Art Gonzales Pkwy, Selma, Calif.