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John died in 2010. He had a stroke a year or so before and never fully recovered.
I will miss his phone calls and him. He called every couple of months to find out how the reunion committee and the next reunion was coming along. He was looking forward to the 50th.
He was the Chico area representative for the class of 1962. He would call when he read an obituary or knew of a death. He is the one who informed us of Dave Godstad and Steve Coons. He is missed.
Sharon Fraetis
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Marilla J. Watts (Whitney)
Santa Barbara County
California, USA
Chico
Butte County
California, USA
"John traveled from Boston, MA to Los Angeles, CA, in utero, arriving in Santa Maria, CA, where his father had returned from the war in the Pacific. John was born March 15, 1944. [His mother's maiden name was Branson.]
His formative years were spent growing up in Walnut Creek, CA. He was involved in athletics, social clubs and cultivated a large group of friends, many of which he remained close with throughout his life. John attended Chico State, and after graduation became a firefighter for the City of Oakland, CA. John's stellar career with the fire department was shortened by an on duty accident that eventually led to his early retirement. John returned to Chico, a place that he had grown to love, to the many friends he had made here during college, an area that afforded him all of the opportunities to pursue the things he loved in life.
John was a big man and demonstrated an equally large appetite for life. John was married and divorced twice; his first marriage was to his college sweetheart, Nancy, his second marriage was to Suzanne during his firefighter career. John has been an active swimmer, hunter, fisher, scuba diver, and was involved with the Firefighters Olympics, while on active duty. He enjoyed music, playing guitar and the 5 string banjo. At one point he played in a trio in Tahoe City, and he had a small studio set up in his home for years. John was a veteran. He traveled Europe, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America, he also loved Tahoe's North Shore. John loved the "things of life" and in that pursuit had: motorcycles, his favorite being a Harley, a jet boat, canoe, and all the outdoor equipment a man could want. John loved cars and owned: sports cars, muscle cars, trucks and a corvette."
obituary courtesy of the Chico Enterprise-Record