3/14/1924 – 10/13/2011
Husband, father, grandfather John Cheek passed away in Visalia California on October 13, 2011 at the age of 87. John was born in Tarby Oklahoma to Robert Walter Cheek and Daisy Lillian (Blake). He entered the Army Corp of Engineers in 1943 and was in the Pacific/Phillipines building runways. He was able to see the devastation from the atomic bomb in Hiroshima, Japan at the end of the war. He was discharged in 1946. His elder brother Billy Joe was in the army and stationed in Germany, younger brother Patrick was in the Merchant Marine. All were in the service in WWII at the same time and all returned safely. John met his future wife Rozella Ussery in Orosi California in 1947. They married 08/02/1947 in Orosi, California. They had two children, Cheryl born in 1948 and Johnny born in 1949.
John retired as a supervisor for the Division of Highways (Cal Trans) in 1979 with 27 years of service in Taft, Orosi, and Visalia. John learned to play the electric guitar by ear (never learning to read music) and he played Country Western music on many weekends around the Counties of Tulare and Kern. During retirement he worked on his rentals with his wife, played music at the Senor Dances and all the local retirement homes. He also delivered buses with his wife all over the United States. His other hobby was working on old cars and getting them running again.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Daisy Cheek, his elder brother Billy Joe Cheek, younger brother Patrick Cheek, brother-in-law Clayton Ussery, niece Phyllis Reagan, nephew Bobby Cheek, niece Linda Cheek, in-laws Arthur and Melba Ussery. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Rozella Ussery Cheek, daughter Cheryl Cheek, son Johnny Cheek, granddaughters Lisa Marie Cheek and Mistee Gayle Cheek, great grandchildren Bailey Scott Collier and Kiki Marie Rogers.
A special thanks to Marilyn Casarin for her special care at home in the weeks before his death. Viewing at Miller Memorial Chapel on October 18, 2011 from 4:00-7:00 P.M. Graveside services on Wednesday October 19, 2011 at Smith Mountain Cementary in Sultana at 1:00 P.M. His parents, brothers, brother-in-law, in-laws, and niece are all buried at Smith Mountain Cementary in Sultana.
Condolences may be offered at www.millerchapel.com
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18