John was born March 15, 1927 in a small non-descript town in South Central Virginia, near the North Carolina border. The family moved to NC and twice more during those depression years; ending up in Northeastern NC. John lived there until he was 16 years old. He then joined the US Navy for service in WWII.
He served aboard the light cruiser USS Nashville CL43. He was awarded six battle stars, four invasions in the pacific theater of operations and two for the Philippines Liberation. During the second invasion of the Philippines, the ship unfortunately met with a Japanese Kamikaze plane which killed 130 and wounded 200 of the crew on December 13, 1944. The ship’s first invasion of the Philippines was very noteworthy, that being returning General Douglas MacArthur to the Philippines nation, fulfilling his promise of “I shall return”.
The job situation wasn’t great after WWII, especially for anyone with no skills. John reenlisted in the Army at Ft. Bragg NC. Later he joined the US Air Force. After a couple of schools in electronic training and a three-year tour in Japan, he returned to Oklahoma City where he met and married Allene Louise Davis on April 5, 1952.
They struggled through the hard life of the military in the 50s. Louise got the short end of the stick. John would go on assignments which were far and wide. Louise had the job and worries of keeping up a household and raising the children. She never received any awards or medals, but she should have. Life in the military was tough, especially on the wives of servicemen. They had to manage and eke out a living on far too little pay.
John would go on many remote assignments to places like Labrador, the mountains of eastern Turkey, Libya and others. The tour would be at least 12 months at each remote site. Doesn’t sound like much when you read the words, but when both sides lived every day of it, the time was very piercing.
In the 50s there wasn’t any help for the military families. The general population had grown cold to the military due to the lingering cold war with Russia. The family moved lock, stock and barrel every twelve to eighteen months. Not good to uproot children that often. Only once was an overseas tour to include family, the tropical paradise of Guam…Nuff said.
After retiring in February 1965 from the military, John was recruited by an up and coming electronic business, Texas Instruments. He began work in Richardson until the Sherman site was completed. Then he transferred to Sherman where the family settled and made a home in Luella. He was an electronic technician until his retirement in 1988.
After his retirement from TI, John needed a hobby to occupy his time. Now that he had a small piece of land, he tried his hand at gardening. It was hit and miss at first, but he finally succeeded. He loved the outdoors and nature, including gardening, feeding birds and wild animals, even knowing the routine and habits of the birds.
John left this world loving his family.
Graveside services will be held at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, Jan. 24, at Cedarlawn Memorial Park with Bro. Bobby Hawkins officiating.
Full military honors will be conducted by Sheppard Air Force Base Honor Guard at the gravesite.
The family will receive friends on Tuesday, Jan. 23, from 5-7 PM at Waldo Funeral Home in Sherman.
John was preceded in death by his parents, Doc Leo Mahaffey and Nancy Elizabeth (Connor) Mahaffey; grandson, Anthony “Tony” Cain; brothers, Leo Mahaffey and Charles Mahaffey; sisters, Undean Beale and twin sisters, Ruth Taylor and Ruby Britt.
He is survived by his loving wife of 65 years, Allene Louise; daughters, Donna Jones and husband Jerry of Dorchester, Patricia Cain of Tom Bean, and Nancy Graves of Tom Bean; grandchildren, Jeremy Jones and wife Renatta of Bells, Tysie Jones of Dorchester, Sarah Signer and husband Chris of Howe, and Macy Graves of Tom Bean; great grandchildren, Avery and Nathan Jones of Sherman, Easton Neal Jones of Bells, Joshua and Faith Signer of Howe; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Obituary published online 23 Jan 2018 by Waldo Funeral Home, Sherman, Texas.
He served aboard the light cruiser USS Nashville CL43. He was awarded six battle stars, four invasions in the pacific theater of operations and two for the Philippines Liberation. During the second invasion of the Philippines, the ship unfortunately met with a Japanese Kamikaze plane which killed 130 and wounded 200 of the crew on December 13, 1944. The ship’s first invasion of the Philippines was very noteworthy, that being returning General Douglas MacArthur to the Philippines nation, fulfilling his promise of “I shall return”.
The job situation wasn’t great after WWII, especially for anyone with no skills. John reenlisted in the Army at Ft. Bragg NC. Later he joined the US Air Force. After a couple of schools in electronic training and a three-year tour in Japan, he returned to Oklahoma City where he met and married Allene Louise Davis on April 5, 1952.
They struggled through the hard life of the military in the 50s. Louise got the short end of the stick. John would go on assignments which were far and wide. Louise had the job and worries of keeping up a household and raising the children. She never received any awards or medals, but she should have. Life in the military was tough, especially on the wives of servicemen. They had to manage and eke out a living on far too little pay.
John would go on many remote assignments to places like Labrador, the mountains of eastern Turkey, Libya and others. The tour would be at least 12 months at each remote site. Doesn’t sound like much when you read the words, but when both sides lived every day of it, the time was very piercing.
In the 50s there wasn’t any help for the military families. The general population had grown cold to the military due to the lingering cold war with Russia. The family moved lock, stock and barrel every twelve to eighteen months. Not good to uproot children that often. Only once was an overseas tour to include family, the tropical paradise of Guam…Nuff said.
After retiring in February 1965 from the military, John was recruited by an up and coming electronic business, Texas Instruments. He began work in Richardson until the Sherman site was completed. Then he transferred to Sherman where the family settled and made a home in Luella. He was an electronic technician until his retirement in 1988.
After his retirement from TI, John needed a hobby to occupy his time. Now that he had a small piece of land, he tried his hand at gardening. It was hit and miss at first, but he finally succeeded. He loved the outdoors and nature, including gardening, feeding birds and wild animals, even knowing the routine and habits of the birds.
John left this world loving his family.
Graveside services will be held at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, Jan. 24, at Cedarlawn Memorial Park with Bro. Bobby Hawkins officiating.
Full military honors will be conducted by Sheppard Air Force Base Honor Guard at the gravesite.
The family will receive friends on Tuesday, Jan. 23, from 5-7 PM at Waldo Funeral Home in Sherman.
John was preceded in death by his parents, Doc Leo Mahaffey and Nancy Elizabeth (Connor) Mahaffey; grandson, Anthony “Tony” Cain; brothers, Leo Mahaffey and Charles Mahaffey; sisters, Undean Beale and twin sisters, Ruth Taylor and Ruby Britt.
He is survived by his loving wife of 65 years, Allene Louise; daughters, Donna Jones and husband Jerry of Dorchester, Patricia Cain of Tom Bean, and Nancy Graves of Tom Bean; grandchildren, Jeremy Jones and wife Renatta of Bells, Tysie Jones of Dorchester, Sarah Signer and husband Chris of Howe, and Macy Graves of Tom Bean; great grandchildren, Avery and Nathan Jones of Sherman, Easton Neal Jones of Bells, Joshua and Faith Signer of Howe; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Obituary published online 23 Jan 2018 by Waldo Funeral Home, Sherman, Texas.
John was born March 15, 1927 in a small non-descript town in South Central Virginia, near the North Carolina border. The family moved to NC and twice more during those depression years; ending up in Northeastern NC. John lived there until he was 16 years old. He then joined the US Navy for service in WWII.
He served aboard the light cruiser USS Nashville CL43. He was awarded six battle stars, four invasions in the pacific theater of operations and two for the Philippines Liberation. During the second invasion of the Philippines, the ship unfortunately met with a Japanese Kamikaze plane which killed 130 and wounded 200 of the crew on December 13, 1944. The ship’s first invasion of the Philippines was very noteworthy, that being returning General Douglas MacArthur to the Philippines nation, fulfilling his promise of “I shall return”.
The job situation wasn’t great after WWII, especially for anyone with no skills. John reenlisted in the Army at Ft. Bragg NC. Later he joined the US Air Force. After a couple of schools in electronic training and a three-year tour in Japan, he returned to Oklahoma City where he met and married Allene Louise Davis on April 5, 1952.
They struggled through the hard life of the military in the 50s. Louise got the short end of the stick. John would go on assignments which were far and wide. Louise had the job and worries of keeping up a household and raising the children. She never received any awards or medals, but she should have. Life in the military was tough, especially on the wives of servicemen. They had to manage and eke out a living on far too little pay.
John would go on many remote assignments to places like Labrador, the mountains of eastern Turkey, Libya and others. The tour would be at least 12 months at each remote site. Doesn’t sound like much when you read the words, but when both sides lived every day of it, the time was very piercing.
In the 50s there wasn’t any help for the military families. The general population had grown cold to the military due to the lingering cold war with Russia. The family moved lock, stock and barrel every twelve to eighteen months. Not good to uproot children that often. Only once was an overseas tour to include family, the tropical paradise of Guam…Nuff said.
After retiring in February 1965 from the military, John was recruited by an up and coming electronic business, Texas Instruments. He began work in Richardson until the Sherman site was completed. Then he transferred to Sherman where the family settled and made a home in Luella. He was an electronic technician until his retirement in 1988.
After his retirement from TI, John needed a hobby to occupy his time. Now that he had a small piece of land, he tried his hand at gardening. It was hit and miss at first, but he finally succeeded. He loved the outdoors and nature, including gardening, feeding birds and wild animals, even knowing the routine and habits of the birds.
John left this world loving his family.
Graveside services will be held at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, Jan. 24, at Cedarlawn Memorial Park with Bro. Bobby Hawkins officiating.
Full military honors will be conducted by Sheppard Air Force Base Honor Guard at the gravesite.
The family will receive friends on Tuesday, Jan. 23, from 5-7 PM at Waldo Funeral Home in Sherman.
John was preceded in death by his parents, Doc Leo Mahaffey and Nancy Elizabeth (Connor) Mahaffey; grandson, Anthony “Tony” Cain; brothers, Leo Mahaffey and Charles Mahaffey; sisters, Undean Beale and twin sisters, Ruth Taylor and Ruby Britt.
He is survived by his loving wife of 65 years, Allene Louise; daughters, Donna Jones and husband Jerry of Dorchester, Patricia Cain of Tom Bean, and Nancy Graves of Tom Bean; grandchildren, Jeremy Jones and wife Renatta of Bells, Tysie Jones of Dorchester, Sarah Signer and husband Chris of Howe, and Macy Graves of Tom Bean; great grandchildren, Avery and Nathan Jones of Sherman, Easton Neal Jones of Bells, Joshua and Faith Signer of Howe; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Obituary published online 23 Jan 2018 by Waldo Funeral Home, Sherman, Texas.
He served aboard the light cruiser USS Nashville CL43. He was awarded six battle stars, four invasions in the pacific theater of operations and two for the Philippines Liberation. During the second invasion of the Philippines, the ship unfortunately met with a Japanese Kamikaze plane which killed 130 and wounded 200 of the crew on December 13, 1944. The ship’s first invasion of the Philippines was very noteworthy, that being returning General Douglas MacArthur to the Philippines nation, fulfilling his promise of “I shall return”.
The job situation wasn’t great after WWII, especially for anyone with no skills. John reenlisted in the Army at Ft. Bragg NC. Later he joined the US Air Force. After a couple of schools in electronic training and a three-year tour in Japan, he returned to Oklahoma City where he met and married Allene Louise Davis on April 5, 1952.
They struggled through the hard life of the military in the 50s. Louise got the short end of the stick. John would go on assignments which were far and wide. Louise had the job and worries of keeping up a household and raising the children. She never received any awards or medals, but she should have. Life in the military was tough, especially on the wives of servicemen. They had to manage and eke out a living on far too little pay.
John would go on many remote assignments to places like Labrador, the mountains of eastern Turkey, Libya and others. The tour would be at least 12 months at each remote site. Doesn’t sound like much when you read the words, but when both sides lived every day of it, the time was very piercing.
In the 50s there wasn’t any help for the military families. The general population had grown cold to the military due to the lingering cold war with Russia. The family moved lock, stock and barrel every twelve to eighteen months. Not good to uproot children that often. Only once was an overseas tour to include family, the tropical paradise of Guam…Nuff said.
After retiring in February 1965 from the military, John was recruited by an up and coming electronic business, Texas Instruments. He began work in Richardson until the Sherman site was completed. Then he transferred to Sherman where the family settled and made a home in Luella. He was an electronic technician until his retirement in 1988.
After his retirement from TI, John needed a hobby to occupy his time. Now that he had a small piece of land, he tried his hand at gardening. It was hit and miss at first, but he finally succeeded. He loved the outdoors and nature, including gardening, feeding birds and wild animals, even knowing the routine and habits of the birds.
John left this world loving his family.
Graveside services will be held at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, Jan. 24, at Cedarlawn Memorial Park with Bro. Bobby Hawkins officiating.
Full military honors will be conducted by Sheppard Air Force Base Honor Guard at the gravesite.
The family will receive friends on Tuesday, Jan. 23, from 5-7 PM at Waldo Funeral Home in Sherman.
John was preceded in death by his parents, Doc Leo Mahaffey and Nancy Elizabeth (Connor) Mahaffey; grandson, Anthony “Tony” Cain; brothers, Leo Mahaffey and Charles Mahaffey; sisters, Undean Beale and twin sisters, Ruth Taylor and Ruby Britt.
He is survived by his loving wife of 65 years, Allene Louise; daughters, Donna Jones and husband Jerry of Dorchester, Patricia Cain of Tom Bean, and Nancy Graves of Tom Bean; grandchildren, Jeremy Jones and wife Renatta of Bells, Tysie Jones of Dorchester, Sarah Signer and husband Chris of Howe, and Macy Graves of Tom Bean; great grandchildren, Avery and Nathan Jones of Sherman, Easton Neal Jones of Bells, Joshua and Faith Signer of Howe; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Obituary published online 23 Jan 2018 by Waldo Funeral Home, Sherman, Texas.
Family Members
Siblings
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
