John started grade school at Juniper Elementary, Fontana, CA. While attending school there, he was a Cub Scout. His mother, Brunie, was the den mother, and they did many activities with the Boy Scouts of America. John also played for the Cardinal Little League team.

He also loved shooting his BB Gun and was a good shot. He and his sister would go on many hikes up to the Waterfall and would hike all over the mountains. They made tree houses and forts. They even had a buried treasure with a map that they hid in the attic; so when they grew up they could come back and find their buried treasures. They also raised goats, rabbits, chickens and road their donkeys together around the hillsides and property.

John had a mini bike, his sister had a motorcycle, and they did a lot of dirt biking. Their father made a track on the property, and they eventually would also use it as a track to drive around in a 1956 Volkswagen, entertaining any guests that would hop in the car or motorcycle for free rides.

He had a Schwinn Stingray Banana seat with tall handle bars, and he and his sister would ride together. John got really good at stunts on his bike; however, one day he crashed on the street and broke his jaw. He had to drink liquids for a long time until he mended. Later, he crashed his mini bike. Luckily, he was not injured in that mishap, but it sure knocked the wind out of him.

John and his sister, Frankie, loved being alone at home cooking and baking in the kitchen. John loved making his own pizza. They also got into mischief and had great food fights. They pretended that they were in a saloon playing poker and would act out like it was a bar room brawl. Their parents were unaware of this mischief that took place when they were not home, but it sure was fun!

He and his sister went way down into Chaparral one Christmas, made a Christmas fort, and decorated a tree with red shotgun shells. They would pretend they were Indians living off the land. That was great fun!

Then, when the family moved to Imperial Beach, he went to Harbor View Elementary. While they lived in an apartment on the beach, he learned a love for the ocean, became a very good Knee Boarder, and learned to make surfboards from a Vietnam veteran. He spent many hours out in the water catching waves.

He began fishing off the Imperial Beach Pier. At the age of 12, he ran the Bait and Tackle Shop for Hazel Bailey. He then took up sports fishing and would take the Half Day boat out to the Coronado Islands to catch Yellow Tail. He began making his own fishing poles using his own unique diamond wraps with nylon threads. He spent hours making his fishing poles, and made some beauties.

Later, he moved back to Fontana with his mother and father, and went to elementary school in Rialto, CA. He went on a few hunting and fishing trips with his father, and then moved back to Imperial Beach with his mother. Then, he started attending Junior and Senior High in Imperial Beach. He took up photography, and took photographs of the surfers, and still-life photos of plants. He also took up Poker, and would have Poker games at home with his best friends, his fishing and surfing buddies.


John helped his sister, Frankie, when she had her child. John attended his sister, and niece, Jesse, while Frankie was recovering from child birth at his mother's home. He was so caring and helpful.

When his health began to fail, he would be tutored at home for the remainder of his life. He was unable to attend school any longer. He took a GED test and passed it, but he did not get to see the certificate as it came in the mail after he had passed away. John had always worked from the age of 12, till he passed at age 17.

John had made friends with all the hospital staff, and they even got into wine tasting. He took a lot of photos of his nurses.

He loved to listen to the Lynyrd Skynyrd Band, Beach Boys and Cat Stevens.

"Little John" loved life, and his legacy and memory lingers on ...