John E. Paddock

John Erwin Paddock, 75, passed away peacefully at his home in the early hours of Saturday, October

10, 2020.

Born May 5, 1945 in Springfield, Pennsylvania, John was the youngest child of the late Daniel A. and

Alice VB Rice Paddock. He grew up on the family farm near Gettysburg and graduated from Gettysburg

High School in 1963. As a teenager, John began to work for family friend Carol Voss, owner of Ag

Rotors, selling tickets for helicopter rides around the Gettysburg Battlefield.

John volunteered for the US Army to be trained as a helicopter mechanic. After training he was stationed

in Germany and volunteered for Vietnam. After Vietnam he was stationed in Texas. He left the Army as a

Specialist 5, returning to the Gettysburg area and going back to work for Ag Rotors. He obtained his

fixed wing pilot’s license in Florida and his helicopter pilot’s license in PA. He later joined the National

Guard, moved to Lebanon, PA. and worked at Ft. Indiantown Gap as a mechanic where he serviced

Chinooks, Skycranes and other helicopters. He retired as a Staff Sergeant in 1998.

John’s hobbies included camping, woodworking and fishing. He had a deep love and appreciation of

nature. John enjoyed visiting his family’s lakefront cottage, Rice Heritage Cottage on the Cayuga Lake

as well as spending time at the Paddock family farm outside of Gettysburg, PA. He also had a fondness

for collecting bird houses and outhouses. John passed along this love of nature to his children.

John is survived by his wife of 47 years Susan Elaine Paddock (nee Oaster) of Lebanon, PA, sons

Christopher (wife Betty) of Fairfield, PA, Sean (wife Sylvia) of Lebanon, PA, Neil of Pine Grove, PA, 3

grandchildren (Morgan Wolfe, Emma and Joshua Paddock) and one great grandchild, Jakob Gillan.

John is also survived by his siblings Eleanor Brossoie of Tinton Falls, NJ and Jim Paddock of

Gettysburg, PA, and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family will be holding a private service to celebrate John's life. In lieu of flowers, donations may be

made in John’s name to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research

(https://www.michaeljfox.org/)