Born on October 9th, 1952, in Washington, DC, John moved with his family first to Lexington, KY, and then Ft. Wayne, IN, before attending his beloved Miami University on an ROTC Scholarship. He was in the university marching band, and graduated in 1974 with a BS in Business.
Upon graduation, he began his 20-year career in the U.S. Navy Supply Corps. The Navy recognized his contributions to logistics and supply chain management with many service awards. He also pursued post-graduate studies, eventually earning two master's degrees: an MBA from George Washington University in 1985 and an MS in Logistics and Finance at the Naval Post Graduate School in 1987.
He married Alice in 1980 and they had two children. The Navy stationed them all over the country, including Monterey, Groton, Alameda, and San Diego. He retired from service in 1995 with the rank of Commander, and the family relocated to Springfield, VA, where he eventually became a Vice President at Whole Foods. Later he became a Research Fellow at LMI, working with the Defense Logistics Agency to provide material support for members of the Armed Forces stationed in Afghanistan and Iraq until his retirement in 2022.
He will be remembered by everyone who knew him as a fiercely intelligent, kind, hard-working man who always put others first. He knew when it was time to laugh, and when it was time to be serious. An Eagle Scout himself, he gave freely of his time with Boy Scout Troop 1849, teaching young men the leadership and self-confidence that he exuded every day of his life. He was a hiker and camper, a connoisseur of wine, a dedicated fan of the Nationals and the Capitals, a musician who could play trombone and piano, a superb cook, and so much more. He will also be remembered for yelling "hoo doggy!" every time he sneezed, his devotion to his orange tabby cat Otto, his love of the band Chicago, and how he would laugh with his entire body when he thought something was really funny.
In addition to his wife Alice, he is survived by his daughter Elizabeth Corbett and her husband Tristan Benitez, his son Matthew Corbett and his wife Carly Corbett, his sister Janice Corbett, and numerous cousins including Charley, Wendy, Laura, Patti, Ken, Karen as well as his numerous friends from church, his scout troop, former colleagues and his neighbors. He is predeceased by his mother (Annie), father (Charlie), and cousin (William).
A special thanks to Dr. Cohen for all of his care and support during this time as well as the Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church community, particularly Father Will.
Love and Honor
