John "Jack" McGuire

John “Jack” McGuire died peacefully on December 9, 2023 in a VA hospital in Salinas, California at the age of 85.

John was born on April 28, 1938 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa to Arthur O McGuire and Mary E Faltinson. As a young boy he became a Boy Scout advancing through the ranks to Eagle Scout. He also earned the God and Country Award and Order of the Arrow. John joined the Navy in 1955 at the age of 17. By 1956 he was in the Patrol Squadron 48 (VP-48) until 1960 attaining a rank of 2nd class or AT2. Within 6 years, he attained the rank of Aviation Electronic Technician (AT1), a 1st class rating. He met Judy Thomas in Olathe, Kansas in 1960 and married her in 1961. The family was stationed in Kansas, Georgia, New Foundland, Canada, Virginia and New Jersey. “Drive, Drive, Drive” was the family moto, as we traveled from East Coast to West Coast to visit family. In 1967, after 12 years in the Navy, John was Honorably Discharged and moved to California. He relocated his family to a small town in the Santa Cruz mountains called Ben Lomond. Over the next 28 years, John worked, in what was to be known as Silicon Valley, for several Tech companies like Argo Systems, Xerox, GCA, McLaughlin Research Corp and Lockhead Martin, from a Service Technician to a Senior Engineer. While in Ben Lomond John attended St John’s, St Michael’s and St Augustine’s. John was also involved with the Boy Scouts as a Troop Leader and a member of the Elks Lodge in Santa Cruz.

His children remember him as a lover of nature and animals, who even opened an exotic pet shop called the “Bonnie Wee Pet Shop” in Ben Lomond in the early 70’s.

In 1996 the couple moved to Grass Valley, California where he worked for Nikon Precision Inc., attended St Dominic’s Parish and joined the Knights of Columbus in Colfax.

John was passionate about planes and rockets. He often indulged in trips with grandchildren to Air Shows and building rockets with them to fly on weekends. He shared his love for reading, stage plays and music from Edgar Rice Burroughs to Fiddler on the Roof to Pink Floyd. An individual who enjoyed camping and backpacking and who was skilled at Survival training.

John is survived by his children, Theresa, Patricia, Cathleen, and John Jr.; his siblings, Mark and Richard Sedlacek; sister in laws, Donna and Patty Sedlacek, his grandchildren, Sarah, Kyle, Christopher, Denise, Corissa, Samantha, Catrina, Natalie, Jennifer, Anthony, and Thomas; and his great-grandchildren, Andrew, Cadence, Orion, Ayla, Greyson, Ashton, Bennett, Margo, Avery, Ryu, Drew, and many cousins, nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his wife Judy McGuire, brother Timothy McGuire and sister Theresa McGuire.

Visiting hours will be at the Ave Maria Memorial Chapel in Watsonville on January 13, 2024 from 5 to 9 pm. Mass will be on Sunday January 14th at the Resurrection Parish in Aptos at 1:00pm. John will rest next to his wife at the St Patrick’s Cemetery in Grass Valley on January 17th at 1:00 pm. Father Jossy will officiate the ceremony. All are welcome to attend and celebrate John McGuire’s life.

The family would like to thank Aaron and staff at Windsor the Ridge Rehabilitation Center and Kim, Judy, Sandy and staff from Continuum Hospice for their kindness, understanding and compassion.