John Joseph Hlavac Sr.

Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, John graduated salutatorian from Custer High School and summa cum laude from Marquette University. Seeking a better climate, he came to Autonetics in Anaheim in 1965, where he programmed missile flight. He retired from Boeing in nearly the same office area 35 years later. In 1970, he married Isabelle Jambon (Issie). They had three children – John Jr., (Cyndi), Jim (Christine) and Judy – and three grandsons: Alec, Julian and James.

John was proud of the fact that he took the family to all 50 states with a variety of experiences- hiking across the Grand Canyon being a highlight. Traveling was also a great part of John’s early retirement years. Machu Picchu, an Amazon cruise, and a trip Down Under to Australia and New Zealand were his favorites. Multiple European adventures, cruises and resort weeks were also memorable. No amount of travel could compare to the joy “Poppa” had riding roller coasters, trains and spinning rides with his grandsons.

John was a lifetime Green Bay Packer fan, loved tailgating at UCLA football games and was a big sports fan in general. He was known in the neighborhood for daily bike rides and puttering in the garage.

He was an avid reader and an aficionado of 50’s Doo-Wop.

Services will be held on Tuesday,December 20 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Placentia: Rosary at 10 AM

and Mass at 10:30 followed by a reception. Burial will be private.