John Monteith McGill

John was born to parents, Ronald Brungard and Mildred Monteith McGill and was the older brother to siblings, Ronald (R.B.) and Ronita. He married Jackie Nel Hallford in 1954 and they had four children, John, James, Jay and Joanna. John was a loving husband and father and loved having 10 grandchildren, Tara, Ronald, Kelli, Jay Ryan, Jacqueline, John, James, MacKenzie, Katie and Sarah, and 5 great grandchildren.

John grew up in Poland, Ohio, living and working the McGill Dairy. He moved at age 15 to Phoenix, AZ, and graduated high school before enlisting in the United States Army. John had a deep love and respect for his country and served with courage and dedication in the Korean War. He was part of the 132nd Airborne Division. He was wounded in combat earning 2 Purple Heart honors and lived his life with the remnants of shrapnel in his leg.

Upon returning to the United States, John married Jackie and started their family in Phoenix, AZ, before moving to Lakewood, Ca. There they lived on Del Amo Blvd. until 1974 when they moved to their Lakewood Village home. In Phoenix he worked for the Holsum Bakery until 1961 when they moved to California and then joined the Bakery industry here for 32 years until his retirement. John proudly boasted of missing only two days of work in all of those 32 years! Not one to sit still through retirement years, John headed over to Long Beach Airport and joined the team at Hertz, moving and prepping cars for the Long Beach and LAX locations. He loved being outside, meeting and talking to new people and said “Hello” to everyone he saw.

John took great pride in his family and “working together”. Favorite times were spent BBQ-ing with family over the years, watching his children and grandchildren in their school and sports activities. He was proud of his wife, Jackie, and her career and all of their times spent as parents and grandparents. He loved, in recent years, vacationing with family members, visiting his sister, Ronita, and traveling the United States including his Ohio roots. John maintained his lifelong love of automobiles, sports and ice cream!

John shared and taught his kindness and honor to his family and friends alike.

John’s Memorial Service is Thursday, July 25, 3pm, at Luyben Family Dilday-Mottell Mortuary.

www.luybenfamilyd-m.com (562) 425-6401