Born October 21, 1932, in Boston, MA, he was the son of Edward R. and Margaret Chaplin Gass.
John is survived by his best friend and wife, Mary Louise (Mary Lou) Miller; his daughters Margaret Peterson (David), Deborah Igo, Rosanne Karahalios; brother Edward Gass (Anita) and grandchildren Dylan Karahalios (Mary Catherine), Edward Cetrone, Kelly Igo and David Peterson, several relatives in the Boston area, and many cousins in Scotland, where his mother was born and where he and Mary Lou were married.
John was predeceased by his parents, his son, Edward R. Gass, and his brother, Donald K. Gass, as well as his many canine friends, Mike, Shantak, Bartok, Boris, Angus, Molly, Mr. Higgins and Shika, and his bunnies, Bingo and Lilly.
John loved to ski, sail, and golf, having played many courses from the U.S. to Scotland and Ireland. His friends enjoyed playing golf with him and were often entertained by his impatience on the course. He pitched for one of his favorite San Francisco watering hole’s softball teams well into his 50’s. He had a quick wit and a joke for every situation.
John and his wife loved to travel, visiting Scotland, Ireland, England, Spain, Portugal, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, the Dominican Republic, China, India and many other destinations.
John was privileged to work with Nobel Prize winning astrophysicist, Ricardo Giacconi, during the 1960’s, while working in the Space Research and Systems Division at American Science and Engineering in Cambridge, MA.
John was proud to serve his country during the Korean War as a member of the United States Coast Guard. At his request, his ashes will be scattered in the North Atlantic by the Coast Guard. Celebrations of his life will be held next spring in San Francisco, CA, and Myrtle Beach, SC, where he most recently resided.
Donations in John’s memory may be made to the Grand Strand Humane Society, www.grandstrandhumanesociety.com or Habitat for Humanity of Horry County, www.habitatmb.org.
The “Geezer” will be missed by many, but mostly by his loving wife. Namaste.
A guestbook is available at www.leefhandcrematory.com.
Lee Funeral Home & Crematory of Little River/North Myrtle Beach is serving the family.
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