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These comments submitted by John's wife Jane Okuno (Gordon) on June 20, 2010:
John was born on July 7, 1951 in San Mateo, CA. He lived all of his life in San Carlos and Redwood City. He attended St. Charles School and Tierra Linda School in San Carlos. When he was a junior at San Carlos High School, he won a scholarship in creative writing the summer of 1967 to attend Robert Louis Stevenson School in Pebble Beach. After graduating from San Carlos High School, he attended the College of San Mateo majoring in architectural design. John's life tragically ended on May 4, 1974. John will be remembered in the hearts and memories of those his life touched.
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Kevin H. Wirth
From John's sister, Grace Phelan:Deceased Classmate: John M. Phelan
Date Deceased: 5-4-1974
Age at Death: 22
Cause of Death: medical malpractice
Classmate City: Redwood City
Classmate State: CA
Classmate Country: USA
Survived By: His wife Jane Okuno Phelan and the Phelan family.
I am writing this to make sure that John is not forgotten by his classmates. John was a generous and kind soul; he was the victim of an unfortunate set of medical errors that took his life after three months of hospitalization. His death left an enormous impact on his family.
Susan Wantin (Larsen)
John was special and unique. I don't think many people got to know him because he was quietly taking in everything and enjoying everyone around him. His kindness and sensitivity was rare for a high school student. John was so handsome, you could tell he was at the edge of blossoming into just a stunning guy.He enjoyed theater and art. I still have an ink wood cut he made.I'm happy he found love and married. I'll never understand why people die before their time.
Jane K. Okuno (Gordon)
John and I met in September 1968 in Mrs. Virginia O'Hagan's Contemporary Writing class. We sat a few desks apart; then one day after class he asked me to have lunch, which was the beginning of our special relationship. We were married on February 5, 1972.
These are my fond remembrances of John:
He was a loving, caring, kind and thoughtful husband, son, brother, and friend.
He was wise beyond his years.
He was introspective, sensitive of others, and experienced life deeply.
He expressed his creative and artistic talents by writing short stories and poetry, painting and creating works of art, photographing nature, and studying architecture.
He had a beautiful smile, a sense of humor and loved to laugh.
He loved dogs, books, and vintage furnishings.
He loved walking the beaches near Half Moon Bay and hiking the forests of La Honda.
He loved camping in Big Sur, Yosemite, through the Western states and British Columbia and Alberta.
He loved driving his VW bus with the Indian bedspread curtains fluttering in the breeze...