John Died March 12, 1993, in Gastonia, N.C. He was born August 28, 1913, in New Rochelle, New York. His father died when he was very young and his mother, a Swedish immigrant, raised him and his sister by working as a domestic for others in New Rochelle. He completed High School in New Rochelle plus 2 years of college and was working as a bank clerk/bookkeeper in 1940, living at home with his mother. John was a member of the Baptist Church.

He was drafted into Civilian Public Service in 1942 and worked in two different camps before reporting for smokejumper training in 1944. John jumped the 1944 season and had nine training and three fire jumps. During the 1945 season, he has two training, two fire and one rescue jump.

After his release from the CPS in February'46 he returned to New Rochelle, eventually marrying Jeanne Emerson in June 1954. They raised two children.

In 1973 they moved to Gastonia, North Carolina, where he worked as an accountant for the Homelite chainsaw manufacturing plant.