Alison Slone Hengehold
June 12, 1946-July 9, 2025
Menlo Park, California
Submitted by Menlo Park Funeral Home
Alison Slone Hengehold, 79, of Menlo Park, loving daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, neighbor and friend, passed away on July 9, 2025. Alison was born on June 12, 1946, in Patterson, California, to James Woodward Slone and Charlene Elfers Slone. She attended Northmead Elementary, Las Palmas Middle School and Patterson High School, where she played tennis and was a cheerleader. After graduating, she earned a nursing degree and quickly realized that caring for others was her true calling. She began her career at Del Puerto Hospital in Patterson and later continued at Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose. It was during her time in San Jose that friends introduced her to her future husband, James Hengehold.
Alison and Jim were married on September 6, 1975, at Mission Santa Clara. They made their home in Menlo Park, where they raised two children, Matthew and Ann. Jim ran the family business, Hengehold Trucks, with his brother Dave for many years. While Alison did not work at the business, she supported Jim wholeheartedly in both his professional and personal life. After becoming a mother, Alison retired from nursing but never stopped caring for others. She redirected her compassion and energy toward her family and friends, becoming a constant, nurturing presence in their lives. She extended that care to Jim’s father, Fred Hengehold, founder of Hengehold Trucks, lovingly supporting him in his later years until his passing at the age of 103. She also cared for her mother, whom the family affectionately called Nana and who was a regular presence at the Hengehold home in Menlo Park, often found playing cards and making her infamous Chex Mix—a recipe Alison thankfully passed on. A devoted wife, Alison was Jim’s primary caregiver and a steady source of strength as the family faced his battle with Parkinson’s disease. Alison and Jim's marriage spanned 42 years, until his passing in 2017. When not tending to family and friends, Alison could be found in the NICU at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, cradling premature newborns. She cherished her mornings in the Cuddlers Program and afternoons driving local seniors to medical appointments. Alison was active in the National Charity League with her daughter, Annie. For a decade, she served as a devoted board member and volunteer with the Ecumenical Hunger Program in East Palo Alto. Alison will be remembered for her generous spirit, her deep loyalty to family and her unwavering kindness. She was always thinking of others, quietly doing thoughtful things to lift those around her. She was the thread that tied four generations of Slone and Hengehold families together, embracing the role of matriarch with love and ease. Her fun nature and willingness to laugh at herself endeared her to many. We will miss her beautiful smile, her warm embrace and her selfless love.
Alison is survived by her children, Matthew Hengehold (Christina) and Ann Hengehold (Cesar Ramos); her grandchildren, Alexa, Reed and Josephine Hengehold, and Slone Ramos; her brother, John Slone (Shauna); her brother-in-law, Dave Hengehold (Cathy); her nieces and their families; her childhood best friends, Georgia Leese and Michele Knapp; and the first dog she ever owned, Daphne, who she truly adored. She was preceded in death by her parents; her beloved aunt, Geraldine Edwards; her brother, Michael Slone, and his wife, Virginia; her sister- in-law, Diane Hengehold; and her loving husband, Jim. A celebration of Alison’s life will be held in the near future, with details to be shared by the family. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to the Ecumenical Hunger Program.
Tags: public service
