John Stanley Brockington

When Woody Hayes recruited him from Brooklyn, NY, it launched a career that included national championship teams with his beloved Ohio State Buckeyes and a first round pick by the Green Bay Packers in the NFL draft. In Green Bay he set rushing records that have only recently been broken, was the 1971 Rookie of the Year and was later inducted into the Green Bay Packer Hall of Fame. His image was pasted on the walls of many a young Packer fan, and his jersey -- #42 -- is still sold and worn today.

After football, John worked in financial services but it was his work with the John Brockington Foundation, which he co-founded with his wife and kidney donor, Diane, that was his proudest accomplishment. The Foundation raised almost a million dollars to support local kidney and transplant patients, and their work promoting organ donation touched the lives of people across the country.

John is survived by his wife, Diane; his daughters, Kelly and Ashley; his stepdaughters, Jessica and Justine; his grandchildren, Asia, Jesse and Maisie; his sister, Linda, and brother, Freeman. His mother, Beatrice, predeceased him.

The family deeply appreciates and is touched by the outpouring of love and stories about the impact John had on so many lives. He will be greatly missed by all.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.sorrentovalleychapel.com for the Brockington family. A Celebration of John's Life will be held on Saturday, April 22, at 5pm at 5280 Carroll Canyon Road, San Diego, 92121.