After attending Mac Hi and then graduating from Hudson's Bay H.S. in 1967, John followed in his father's footsteps and enlisted in the U.S. Army. He was briefly married and his son, Phillip John, was born in 1969. After basic training, John was sent to Viet Nam and served as an MP during his tour of duty there. His position put him on the front lines, and as with thousands of others, he was exposed to the chemical Agent Orange, which caused the cancer that eventually led to his death.

Honorably discharged from the Army and returning to Vancouver, John worked at several companies and attended college, graduating from Evergreen State. He began his long-standing career with the State of WA Department of Corrections and retired with 30 years of service as a parole officer.

John was a baseball fanatic, always loyal to the St. Louis Cardinals. In young adulthood he played softball and coached that sport for several years. He loved cars, motorcycle road trips, books, shooting pool, playing poker with his friends and a good scotch. Although he was always an intensely independent person, John let his family know how much he loved them and found a great deal of comfort in his faith, especially as he battled cancer for many years before he succumbed to the disease.

John was pre-deceased by his father, Jack. He is survived by his mother, Edith; his son, Phillip; his brothers Kevin (Marla) and Jim; his sister Cindy (Dan) Miles, three grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and a large extended family.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Thursday, Dec. 9 at 11:00 AM at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, 6500 Highland Dr., Vancouver. Internment with military honors will follow at 2:00 PM at Willamette National Cemetery, 11800 SE Mt. Scott Blvd., Happy Valley, OR.

John was an ardent contributor to several organizations. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in his name to St. Jude's Children Hospital, St. Joseph Parish, or a charity of your choice.