John C. Bixby

John C. Bixby, husband, father, patriot, academic and business consultant. Born Alameda, CA, 8/11/1926; Died Laguna Niguel, CA, 9/29/2018, at age 92. John volunteered for the Navy in 1944 during WWII at age 17 and proudly served his country as a Torpedoman on the USS McCaffery destroyer in the Pacific Theater. In 1996 John was given the honor of being appointed Chairman of the Tin Can Sailors annual reunion held in San Diego.

After the war, John earned his Bachelor’s Degree at UC Berkeley, where he was a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity. He went on to earn Masters and Doctorate Degrees at USC in Los Angeles, where he was elected to ARTUS, an honorary scholastic society.

John was a member of the Pasadena Solteros, a singles group. He met his future wife, Barbara Bemus, at a Solteros postwar social gathering at the Huntington Hotel. As a hobby John restored older cars, including a Model A and a WWII Jeep.

John founded and owned a marketing consulting service based in Newport Beach and later, shortly before retirement, a branch in London, England.

Barbara and Dr. Bixby had two sons and a daughter, all university graduates. After retiring the couple cruised extensively throughout the world from their homes in Newport Beach and later Laguna Niguel. Barbara and John had been married for 51 years when Barbara passed in 2007.

John was always eager to liven up a room and loved a good laugh. He was very proud of his accomplishments and loved passing on life’s lessons to others. It was important to him to provide well for his family.

At John’s request, no services are planned. Following cremation, ashes are to be scattered in the Pacific Ocean, an area which has always evoked many personal memories for John and other Greatest Generation former service personnel.