Ardona Keith Van Winkle Jr., BHS 1972In memory of Ardona "RD" Keith Van Winkle, San Diego, CA
May 14, 1954 - March 6, 2026
Ardona Keith Van Winkle Jr. was an amazing father, a devoted Papa, and a man whose life was defined by love, loyalty, and family.
Born on May 14, 1954, in Corona, California, he was the second-born of six children and the oldest son of Ardona and Beatrice Van Winkle (née Binkerd). He was raised with strong family values that he carried throughout his life. He was preceded in death by his baby sister Debbie, who passed as an infant; his older sister Diane McCall; his younger brother Randy Van Winkle; and his beloved parents.
He is survived by his younger sisters, Robyn and Lorrie; his children, Patsy, Sommer, Cathy, Michael, and Skylar; his cherished grandchildren, JuliAnna, Thomas, Dalilah, Levi, Aubree, and Milo; his sons-in-law, Jesse Jackson and Michael Bendos; and his daughter-in-law, Tulie Barlow.
He grew up in Burbank, California, where he attended school and graduated from Burbank High School. In 1974, he became a father with the birth of his daughter Patricia Van Winkle, born to his first wife, Diane. Becoming a dad was a defining moment in his life—one that shaped everything that followed.
In his younger years, he was a proud member of the Chosen Few Motorcycle Club and spent many years riding throughout the western United States, from Kern County to Colorado, where he lived for a short time. His love for motorcycles ran deep; he built his Harley-Davidson himself, modifying and refining it over many years. Eventually, he chose to step away from that chapter of his life so he could focus fully on what mattered most to him—his children.A hard worker through and through, he held many jobs over the years. He worked for the City of Burbank alongside his father, spent time in bike shops and auto repair, worked in construction, drove a tow truck, hauled freight as a cross-country semi-truck driver, and later became a bottom dump driver for Hanson Aggregates. He remained there until a work-related injury in 2009.
In 1988, he married Erica Anderson, lovingly welcoming his second daughter, Sommer Jackson (Anderson). Later that same year, he welcomed his third daughter, Cathy Bendos (Van Winkle). He went on to become the proud father of his only son, Michael Van Winkle, in 1993, and his youngest child, Skylar Anderson, in 1996.
He was many things in his lifetime, and he was proud of much—but nothing ever compared to his pride in being a dad and a Papa. For the last 30+ years, his children and grandchildren were his world. He was known as everyone’s dad, uncle, and Papa—the steady presence who showed up, listened, helped, and loved without condition.
He taught his children that family is everything—and that family isn’t only blood. He lived that belief every day, welcoming others into his heart and home. He shared an unbreakable bond with his kids and was deeply loved by many because of how fiercely and genuinely he loved others.
His legacy lives on through the lives he shaped, the values he passed down, and the deep love he gave so freely. He will be missed beyond words and remembered always.
