Born on July 5, 1941, John Sherrick McCabe entered the world in Columbus, Ohio, close on the heels of his elder sister, Trixie Milliman, followed ten years later by their brother Frank. A jovial middle child, his defining characteristics were camaraderie and fierce loyalty starting with his siblings and continuing throughout his life.
John graduated from the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1963. He served on the USS Towers DDG-9 guided missile destroyer, the USS Ticonderoga CVA 14 aircraft carrier, and the USS Topeka CLG 8 guided missile cruiser.
He met his life partner, Diane, in 1964; they wed on September 24, 1966. They would have celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary this fall. She would have remembered the day; he would have remembered the year. They toured the Mediterranean “together” for several months during his early years in the Navy: Diane on land and John by sea. John left active duty in 1968 and continued in the Naval Reserve until his retirement in 2003 but he never retired his deeply held loyalty to his country, family, friends, and associates.
John began his second career by earning an MBA from the University of Michigan and joining Mellon Bank in Pittsburgh. He retired from the Los Angeles Mellon branch in 2003.
His third act embraced life, filled to the brim with golf, music, and most importantly, his loved ones. When in residence in Hermosa Beach, John hit the links weekly. His travel itineraries invariably included a golf course; any good golf course would do, from sea to shining sea. Palm Springs was a longtime favorite destination, as was Hawaii.
John was intuitively musical, playing both piano and guitar by ear and in his early years, he would form a band anywhere he could find interested fellow musicians. Longtime friends might recall he showcased his vocal talents on the Ed Sullivan Show, first with his high school chorus and then again with the Naval Academy Glee Club. He continued to tickle the ivories with his signature gusto in retirement.
John could (and did) forge a friendship with anyone, whether it was a three-year-old deeply invested in applying a bandage for him, or the caring nurse assisting him during his final battle with cancer. He genuinely revelled in the company of friends, and it would be no exaggeration to say that his legacy is rooted in his infectious sense of humor. He had a quip for almost any situation and brought you into the joke: memories of pranks, the younger generation’s penchant for food photography, their cats’ antics. You might be struck by his rollicking laugh, his incredibly mobile expressions as he reacted to a story, or your own helpless laughter as he built to the punchline, but no one came away from a visit with John without a smile and a sense of welcome.
If you were lucky enough to visit during the holiday season, you were met with good cheer, twinkling lights, and Christmas trains. John loved trains from an early age. He once traveled cross country on Amtrak from Chicago to Los Angeles with a friend and his Christmas train set
displays were a particular delight. Any other time of year, you would be regaled with his latest adventures with technology: troubleshooting a computer, setting up the television, converting old media to digital formats.
In his quieter moments John relaxed in his TV room with the volume booming facing a wall of favorite movies, his beloved cats nestled on his lap or by his side. Downstairs, he was the movie and military history buff sharing his latest history books, pictures of his time in the service, and his model of the USS Topeka. Upstairs, he was an entertainer, pouring drinks, putting on tunes, telling stories, singing, and playing the piano.
John’s gregarious nature extended to a deep generosity of spirit. He always lent a helping hand to those in need, without reservation. His care for those he loved is as much his legacy as his laughter and he’s as fondly remembered by those with whom he shared a multi-decade history as by those he met in his last chapter of life. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.
John is survived by his wife Diane, sister Trixie Milliman of New York City, brother and sister-in-law Frank and Sue McCabe of Rockford, IL as well as two nieces and a nephew.
A memorial service will be held on Thursday, July 29th at 11:00 am in the Chapel of St. Francis Episcopal Church, 2200 Via Rosa, Palos Verdes Estates, CA. A Reception/Celebration of Life will be held at 1:00 pm following the service at the St. Kateri Room, Deegan Place, Manhattan Beach, CA. The burial will be held on Friday, July 30th at 12:00 noon, Glen Abby Memorial Park, 3838 Bonita Road, Bonita, CA.
Memorials may be given to the United States Naval Academy Foundation on usna.com and designate in "I would like my gift to go to" Other category: Class of 1963 Academic Center Fund, Fund #69630000 in Memory of John S. McCabe.
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