After a 3-year battle with pancreatic cancer, on Friday, January 19th, John Anthony Biegel died peacefully with family by his side at his home in Huntington Beach, California. He was 61. John is survived by his wife, Dana, his children, Anthony (Martina), Donna and Nolan, and his siblings, Peter (Alice), Sylvia (Ken) and Beth (Jim). John will also be forever remembered by his numerous nieces, nephews and extended family and dear friends. John was predeceased by his father, Peter Biegel, his mother, Virginia Biegel, and his brother, Jimmy Biegel.
John was born on August 8th, 1956, in Blue Island, Illinois and raised in a devout Catholic family in Midlothian, Illinois. He loved football, playing the sport throughout his childhood and through high school. John also had a passion for aviation, and he would pursue his childhood dreams of becoming a pilot for the rest of his life.
John graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Aviation Management from the University of Southern Illinois in 1980. After college, he joined the Navy as a helicopter pilot, flying the H-46 and embarking on multiple cruises in the Western Pacific. After spending several years with the Navy in San Diego, CA and later Pensacola, FL, in 1987 John transferred to the Navy Reserve and began his career as a commercial airline pilot. John started flying with Delta Atlantic Southeast Airlines and later TWA out of Texas. He was transferred to Los Angeles and joined American Airlines in July of 1990. John would spend the rest of his life flying for American Airlines, most recently as a 737 Captain. It was more than just a job for him; he truly loved flying. Over the course of John’s 27 years with American Airlines, he would make countless lifelong friends and would fly the retirement flights for several of his closest colleagues.
John raised his three children, Anthony (28), Donna (26) and Nolan (23), in Huntington Beach, CA, and was an extremely caring and loving father to each of them. John married his wife, Dana, in 2010. Together they managed a loving home, grew closer in their faith in God together and enjoyed spending quality time with their family and friends. From the moment John would learn of his cancer diagnosis in late-2014 to his passing in 2018, Dana would be by his side taking care of him and surrounding him in love.
A funeral mass will be held on Wednesday, January 31st at 10:00am at Saints Simon & Jude Catholic Church with interment with military funeral honors at Holy Sepulcher Cemetery.
John was born on August 8th, 1956, in Blue Island, Illinois and raised in a devout Catholic family in Midlothian, Illinois. He loved football, playing the sport throughout his childhood and through high school. John also had a passion for aviation, and he would pursue his childhood dreams of becoming a pilot for the rest of his life.
John graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Aviation Management from the University of Southern Illinois in 1980. After college, he joined the Navy as a helicopter pilot, flying the H-46 and embarking on multiple cruises in the Western Pacific. After spending several years with the Navy in San Diego, CA and later Pensacola, FL, in 1987 John transferred to the Navy Reserve and began his career as a commercial airline pilot. John started flying with Delta Atlantic Southeast Airlines and later TWA out of Texas. He was transferred to Los Angeles and joined American Airlines in July of 1990. John would spend the rest of his life flying for American Airlines, most recently as a 737 Captain. It was more than just a job for him; he truly loved flying. Over the course of John’s 27 years with American Airlines, he would make countless lifelong friends and would fly the retirement flights for several of his closest colleagues.
John raised his three children, Anthony (28), Donna (26) and Nolan (23), in Huntington Beach, CA, and was an extremely caring and loving father to each of them. John married his wife, Dana, in 2010. Together they managed a loving home, grew closer in their faith in God together and enjoyed spending quality time with their family and friends. From the moment John would learn of his cancer diagnosis in late-2014 to his passing in 2018, Dana would be by his side taking care of him and surrounding him in love.
A funeral mass will be held on Wednesday, January 31st at 10:00am at Saints Simon & Jude Catholic Church with interment with military funeral honors at Holy Sepulcher Cemetery.
After a 3-year battle with pancreatic cancer, on Friday, January 19th, John Anthony Biegel died peacefully with family by his side at his home in Huntington Beach, California. He was 61. John is survived by his wife, Dana, his children, Anthony (Martina), Donna and Nolan, and his siblings, Peter (Alice), Sylvia (Ken) and Beth (Jim). John will also be forever remembered by his numerous nieces, nephews and extended family and dear friends. John was predeceased by his father, Peter Biegel, his mother, Virginia Biegel, and his brother, Jimmy Biegel.
John was born on August 8th, 1956, in Blue Island, Illinois and raised in a devout Catholic family in Midlothian, Illinois. He loved football, playing the sport throughout his childhood and through high school. John also had a passion for aviation, and he would pursue his childhood dreams of becoming a pilot for the rest of his life.
John graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Aviation Management from the University of Southern Illinois in 1980. After college, he joined the Navy as a helicopter pilot, flying the H-46 and embarking on multiple cruises in the Western Pacific. After spending several years with the Navy in San Diego, CA and later Pensacola, FL, in 1987 John transferred to the Navy Reserve and began his career as a commercial airline pilot. John started flying with Delta Atlantic Southeast Airlines and later TWA out of Texas. He was transferred to Los Angeles and joined American Airlines in July of 1990. John would spend the rest of his life flying for American Airlines, most recently as a 737 Captain. It was more than just a job for him; he truly loved flying. Over the course of John’s 27 years with American Airlines, he would make countless lifelong friends and would fly the retirement flights for several of his closest colleagues.
John raised his three children, Anthony (28), Donna (26) and Nolan (23), in Huntington Beach, CA, and was an extremely caring and loving father to each of them. John married his wife, Dana, in 2010. Together they managed a loving home, grew closer in their faith in God together and enjoyed spending quality time with their family and friends. From the moment John would learn of his cancer diagnosis in late-2014 to his passing in 2018, Dana would be by his side taking care of him and surrounding him in love.
A funeral mass will be held on Wednesday, January 31st at 10:00am at Saints Simon & Jude Catholic Church with interment with military funeral honors at Holy Sepulcher Cemetery.
John was born on August 8th, 1956, in Blue Island, Illinois and raised in a devout Catholic family in Midlothian, Illinois. He loved football, playing the sport throughout his childhood and through high school. John also had a passion for aviation, and he would pursue his childhood dreams of becoming a pilot for the rest of his life.
John graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Aviation Management from the University of Southern Illinois in 1980. After college, he joined the Navy as a helicopter pilot, flying the H-46 and embarking on multiple cruises in the Western Pacific. After spending several years with the Navy in San Diego, CA and later Pensacola, FL, in 1987 John transferred to the Navy Reserve and began his career as a commercial airline pilot. John started flying with Delta Atlantic Southeast Airlines and later TWA out of Texas. He was transferred to Los Angeles and joined American Airlines in July of 1990. John would spend the rest of his life flying for American Airlines, most recently as a 737 Captain. It was more than just a job for him; he truly loved flying. Over the course of John’s 27 years with American Airlines, he would make countless lifelong friends and would fly the retirement flights for several of his closest colleagues.
John raised his three children, Anthony (28), Donna (26) and Nolan (23), in Huntington Beach, CA, and was an extremely caring and loving father to each of them. John married his wife, Dana, in 2010. Together they managed a loving home, grew closer in their faith in God together and enjoyed spending quality time with their family and friends. From the moment John would learn of his cancer diagnosis in late-2014 to his passing in 2018, Dana would be by his side taking care of him and surrounding him in love.
A funeral mass will be held on Wednesday, January 31st at 10:00am at Saints Simon & Jude Catholic Church with interment with military funeral honors at Holy Sepulcher Cemetery.
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