John was born in Montgomery, Alabama, the fourth of nine children and the first male child. Because of the size of the family and the Great Depression, John started working with his father early in life. The family lived mostly in Georgia and Florida. In his teens he was driving a truck and making deliveries for a feed store.
He went into the Army in 1943, trained at Fort Leonard Wood and was assigned to the 730th Field Artillery where he drove the truck that carried the fire direction radio and the unit commander. He was sent to Europe and saw action in Belgium, Netherlands, France and Germany and took part in the Battle of the Bulge.
John was shipped home in December 1945. Among other jobs, he worked as a policeman in Lakeland Florida, took flying lessons on the GI Bill, and married Lillian Howell Bean in 1946. His brother-in-law, Lloyd Beach, encouraged John to move his family to Williamston, Michigan where the chance for employment was greater. John worked as a farm hand, hardware store clerk, construction worker, milkman, press operator in the auto industry to support his family. He eventually bought 10 acres and built a family home in the evenings.
In the late 50s or early 60s John again followed Lloyd to California to work in construction, and some months later his family, Lillian and children Jeanetta, John Homer III, and Rebecca, came to live in Martinez, CA. John and Lillian sold the home in Michigan in 1972 and bought a fifth wheel trailer and started to travel. By 1974 they had come to San Diego where John bought a 34' Columbia sailboat and became a member of the Silver Gate Yacht Club. During this time he also built a thoroughbred racehorse farm for a grocery store magnate, and started work as a maintenance mechanic for Home Federal Savings and Loan, a large S&L headquartered in San Diego.
John and Lillian were divorced in 1978. Through the yacht club, he met Merrily Severance and they married in 1982. In 1992 Merrily's job took them to Alexandria, Virginia. There they made plans to buy enough land near Merrily's family cabin in Minnesota to have some horses in their retirement. They moved to Aitkin, Minnesota in 1995. He lived with Merrily on his 240 acre farm until his death.
John was a quiet man who didn't drink or swear. He enjoyed being around his family and friends, but was also self-contained and confident. John enjoyed helping people, and had a great practical knowledge of mechanics and construction.
He went into the Army in 1943, trained at Fort Leonard Wood and was assigned to the 730th Field Artillery where he drove the truck that carried the fire direction radio and the unit commander. He was sent to Europe and saw action in Belgium, Netherlands, France and Germany and took part in the Battle of the Bulge.
John was shipped home in December 1945. Among other jobs, he worked as a policeman in Lakeland Florida, took flying lessons on the GI Bill, and married Lillian Howell Bean in 1946. His brother-in-law, Lloyd Beach, encouraged John to move his family to Williamston, Michigan where the chance for employment was greater. John worked as a farm hand, hardware store clerk, construction worker, milkman, press operator in the auto industry to support his family. He eventually bought 10 acres and built a family home in the evenings.
In the late 50s or early 60s John again followed Lloyd to California to work in construction, and some months later his family, Lillian and children Jeanetta, John Homer III, and Rebecca, came to live in Martinez, CA. John and Lillian sold the home in Michigan in 1972 and bought a fifth wheel trailer and started to travel. By 1974 they had come to San Diego where John bought a 34' Columbia sailboat and became a member of the Silver Gate Yacht Club. During this time he also built a thoroughbred racehorse farm for a grocery store magnate, and started work as a maintenance mechanic for Home Federal Savings and Loan, a large S&L headquartered in San Diego.
John and Lillian were divorced in 1978. Through the yacht club, he met Merrily Severance and they married in 1982. In 1992 Merrily's job took them to Alexandria, Virginia. There they made plans to buy enough land near Merrily's family cabin in Minnesota to have some horses in their retirement. They moved to Aitkin, Minnesota in 1995. He lived with Merrily on his 240 acre farm until his death.
John was a quiet man who didn't drink or swear. He enjoyed being around his family and friends, but was also self-contained and confident. John enjoyed helping people, and had a great practical knowledge of mechanics and construction.
John was born in Montgomery, Alabama, the fourth of nine children and the first male child. Because of the size of the family and the Great Depression, John started working with his father early in life. The family lived mostly in Georgia and Florida. In his teens he was driving a truck and making deliveries for a feed store.
He went into the Army in 1943, trained at Fort Leonard Wood and was assigned to the 730th Field Artillery where he drove the truck that carried the fire direction radio and the unit commander. He was sent to Europe and saw action in Belgium, Netherlands, France and Germany and took part in the Battle of the Bulge.
John was shipped home in December 1945. Among other jobs, he worked as a policeman in Lakeland Florida, took flying lessons on the GI Bill, and married Lillian Howell Bean in 1946. His brother-in-law, Lloyd Beach, encouraged John to move his family to Williamston, Michigan where the chance for employment was greater. John worked as a farm hand, hardware store clerk, construction worker, milkman, press operator in the auto industry to support his family. He eventually bought 10 acres and built a family home in the evenings.
In the late 50s or early 60s John again followed Lloyd to California to work in construction, and some months later his family, Lillian and children Jeanetta, John Homer III, and Rebecca, came to live in Martinez, CA. John and Lillian sold the home in Michigan in 1972 and bought a fifth wheel trailer and started to travel. By 1974 they had come to San Diego where John bought a 34' Columbia sailboat and became a member of the Silver Gate Yacht Club. During this time he also built a thoroughbred racehorse farm for a grocery store magnate, and started work as a maintenance mechanic for Home Federal Savings and Loan, a large S&L headquartered in San Diego.
John and Lillian were divorced in 1978. Through the yacht club, he met Merrily Severance and they married in 1982. In 1992 Merrily's job took them to Alexandria, Virginia. There they made plans to buy enough land near Merrily's family cabin in Minnesota to have some horses in their retirement. They moved to Aitkin, Minnesota in 1995. He lived with Merrily on his 240 acre farm until his death.
John was a quiet man who didn't drink or swear. He enjoyed being around his family and friends, but was also self-contained and confident. John enjoyed helping people, and had a great practical knowledge of mechanics and construction.
He went into the Army in 1943, trained at Fort Leonard Wood and was assigned to the 730th Field Artillery where he drove the truck that carried the fire direction radio and the unit commander. He was sent to Europe and saw action in Belgium, Netherlands, France and Germany and took part in the Battle of the Bulge.
John was shipped home in December 1945. Among other jobs, he worked as a policeman in Lakeland Florida, took flying lessons on the GI Bill, and married Lillian Howell Bean in 1946. His brother-in-law, Lloyd Beach, encouraged John to move his family to Williamston, Michigan where the chance for employment was greater. John worked as a farm hand, hardware store clerk, construction worker, milkman, press operator in the auto industry to support his family. He eventually bought 10 acres and built a family home in the evenings.
In the late 50s or early 60s John again followed Lloyd to California to work in construction, and some months later his family, Lillian and children Jeanetta, John Homer III, and Rebecca, came to live in Martinez, CA. John and Lillian sold the home in Michigan in 1972 and bought a fifth wheel trailer and started to travel. By 1974 they had come to San Diego where John bought a 34' Columbia sailboat and became a member of the Silver Gate Yacht Club. During this time he also built a thoroughbred racehorse farm for a grocery store magnate, and started work as a maintenance mechanic for Home Federal Savings and Loan, a large S&L headquartered in San Diego.
John and Lillian were divorced in 1978. Through the yacht club, he met Merrily Severance and they married in 1982. In 1992 Merrily's job took them to Alexandria, Virginia. There they made plans to buy enough land near Merrily's family cabin in Minnesota to have some horses in their retirement. They moved to Aitkin, Minnesota in 1995. He lived with Merrily on his 240 acre farm until his death.
John was a quiet man who didn't drink or swear. He enjoyed being around his family and friends, but was also self-contained and confident. John enjoyed helping people, and had a great practical knowledge of mechanics and construction.
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