John Charles Balough

John attended Sweetwater High School where he excelled in both football and baseball. According to him, he was “blind as a bat”. This was during a time when players were not allowed to wear glasses while playing football. He was put on the defensive line where he was known to tackle anyone who crossed his path!

After high school he enlisted into the Air Force and was eventually stationed in Okinawa, Japan. While in Japan he met and married Keiko Endo, the Mother of his five children. After serving four years, John left the Air Force and settled in Chula Vista, CA.

John was employed by the Chula Vista Post Office and carried mail for 18 years. As a mail carrier, he met his current wife of 30+ years, Diana Simone Balough. She was a Private Duty nurse at a retirement home on his mail route. He was famous for his hat tricks and getting all the ladies to smile, including Diana. John eventually went into Postal Supervision and became an Assistant Post Master at the Escondido and Poway Post Offices until his retirement.

John was also the Head Coach for the South Bay and Chula Vista Pop Warner teams for over six years. He became one of the most prolific Head Coaches in San Diego County taking his teams to five County Championships and winning four.

Upon retirement John and Diana purchased a 10-acre parcel of land in Warner Springs, CA. It was there that he built his ranch and lived out his dream of being a cowboy while raising horses, goats, cows and lots of Australian Cattle Dogs over the years. John’s Dog, Phil, was his shadow comforting and protecting him throughout the years. A visit to “The Trails End Ranch” from his friends, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren were some of his fondest memories.

John is survived by his five children and four stepchildren:

• Frank Endo, and his wife Janet, and their son Marcus, daughter Dena (deceased) of San Diego, CA

• John Balough Jr., and his wife Fran, and their children Danielle, Britty, Trina, and Cameron, of Lakeside, CA

• Mariam Aguillard, and her husband Dwight, and their children Stephanie, Courtney, and Eric, of San Clemente, CA

• Elizabeth Balough, and her children Anthony and Ashley, of National City, CA

• Violet Balough, and her children Jessica, Selena, Manny, and Ruben, of National City, CA

• Mathew Balough, and his wife Sylvia, and their children Erica, Monica, and Matthew, of Bonita, CA

• Robert Germano, and his wife Marla, and their son Antoni Germano, of Grand Rapids, MI

• Ross E. Germano (deceased), and his daughters Dana and Nina, of Wilkes-Barre, PA

• Coletta Koga, and her husband Matthew, and children Nicole, Alana, and Adam, of Escondido, CA

John and Diana have 23 great grandchildren from both families.