John was born January 28, 1940 in Logan, West Virginia to John and Pollie (Counts) Vidican. His sister, Peggy Sue, was welcomed into the family a year later. When John was 3 years old, after his parents divorced, his father and he moved to Monaville and lived with his Paternal Grandmother, Julia Vidican and Grandfather and Aunts, Mary Jeffreys and Ann Steiffer. John's father died at age 38; his Grandfather shortly thereafter and he continued to live with them until he was 13. He always had a lot of love for and was close to his Grandmother and Aunts. At age 13, , John went to live with his mother; who had then married his Step Father, Harlan McNeely, and sister Peggy in Justice Edition. That same year, their baby sister, Dianna Jimenez (McNeely) was born into the family.
John always had a strong work ethic and started out delivering newspapers when he was 13 years old. After that he got his start as a mechanic working in Hartsaw's Gas Station, first pumping gas and then began working on cars.
John joined the Army in September 1958 in Ashland Kentucky and was stationed in various parts of the United States ending up at Fort Lewis. He worked in the Infantry Motor pool where his talents as a mechanic were utilized and drove tank. He rose to the rank of Specialist 4 before separating from the Army in 1964. One weekend late in August, he and a friend made a trip to the town of Yakima and there John met Gloria Leidecker. The two were married in CoerD' Alene, Idaho on September 26, 1960. Almost a year later, their only child, Julia, was welcomed into their world on September 16, 1961. John and Gloria settled in Yakima and together, they built a comfortable life. They made many friends and pursued a variety of interests. They had a full life together and had just celebrated their 60 wedding anniversary September 26, 2020.
John started his career as a heavy equipment mechanic at Yakima Cement Products. He worked there for 25 years; he was an integral part of the company until operations ceased. John then went to work for Central Pre-Mix, again as a heavy equipment mechanic and then as shop foreman and worked there 40 years, until his retirement in 2001. John made true and life-long friends at both companies. After retirement John started his own business, Vidican Repair, which he continued until approximately 2009.
John was blessed to have many friends. One of his closest was Ronald (Ronnie Martin) who had also been best man at his wedding and Aubrey Reeves. Ronnie and he loved to go fishing together. Ronnie was a true friend and always there for John for 59 years until Ronnie passed in 2019 after a brief illness and John would always say he missed his friend. As was Frank and Bob Jump, whom he had worked at Yakima Cement with and then also at Central Pre-Mix with. That friendship continued until his death. Aubrey Reeves was also a true friend and continued to be part of John's life to the very end, calling almost every day when John was in the hospital and stopping by to visit during his last days when John was at home bedridden. He came to visit and pray with him.
John is survived by his wife, Gloria, his daughter, Julia Richardson (Vidican). Sisters: Peggy Vickers (Vidican) and Dianna Jimenez (McNeely); Aunt, Mary Jeffreys (Vidican). Nieces: Michele Snyder (Vickers), Maria Veeneman (Jimenez), Mimi Connolly (Jimenez), Dawn Bauer (Yolo), Julie Yolo. Nephews: Chuck Vickers, William Morris, John Yolo and his neighbors, that he considered as family, Jean Elliott and Jamie Stacks (Pittman), friends, Aubrey Reeves, Frank Jump and Bob Jump and his many other friends.
He was preceded in death by his Father, John Vidican; Mother, Pollie McNeely; Aunt, Ann Steiffer, good friends Bill Bergren, Jim and Kathy Vetsch, Ronnie Martin and Roger Sevigny.
Thank you to Virginia Mason Memorial Hospice Care for your support and care as well as Chaplain Jerry Brady who came and baptized John in his last days of life. It really meant a lot to him.
Services will be at a later date and handled by Keith and Keith.
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