John Bernard Heyer

December 7, 1924 to January 7, 2017

John Bernard Heyer was born on December 7, 1924 to John Gerhart and Bertha (Bernhardt) Heyer at their family home in Des Moines, Iowa. Together with three older sisters and one younger brother, John grew up during the Great Depression. He attended school in Des Moines and graduated from high school in 1943. In the fall of 1943, he joined the United States Marine Corp, and began training to become a member of the armament personnel for the Corsair fighter. On December 24, 1943, he married the love of his life, Ruth Glendene Kellogg, in Norman, Oklahoma. Soon after, he was sent to Cherry Point, North Carolina to finish his training. In 1944 he was deployed to Okinawa, where he served until the end of the war.

After returning home from the war, John worked for the GW Onthank Company in Des Moines. A short time later he applied to North Western Bell, which launched a 35-year career with the company. He worked in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, and Council Bluffs in Iowa before being transferred to California in 1960, and acting as a Construction Supervisor for Pacific Bell. His last job at Pacific Bell was to start the nonprofit agency called Underground Service Alert in 1975. He officially retired from Pacific Bell in 1985, but continued as President of Underground Service Alert until 1994 when he retired permanently.

Wherever he lived, John was involved in church activities—as a board member, Sunday school teacher, or cleanup person. Family was also important to him: he cherished his wife, children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. After retiring, John and Ruth lived in Lincoln, CA and Cupertino, CA…In 2002, they moved to Quail Lodge in Antioch, CA where they lived until their deaths.

Surviving him are his five children and their spouses, Patty (Glen W.) Miller, John (Ruth E.) Heyer, Donald (Shelley) Heyer, Michael (Patty) Heyer, and Steven (Patrice) Heyer. His twelve grandchildren and spouses: Kelley Miller and Glen M. Miller, John W. (Alison) Heyer and Jeremy (Rachel) Heyer, Bruce Heyer and Kristy Aldrich, Logan (Holly) Heyer, Katie (Ryan) White, Colby (Megan) Heyer, and Anna Heyer, Cassie (Garret) Work and Clay (Jen) Heyer and nineteen great grandchildren. Also surviving John is his brother Harold Heyer along with nieces and nephews.

John was preceded in death by his wife of sixty-seven years, Ruth; granddaughter, Ashley Dawn Heyer; his parents; a brother, Robert, who died in infancy; sisters Marjorie ( Lyle) Janes, Dorothy (Dale) McCoy, and Jeanette (Bart) Rittgers; and a sister-in-law, Gladys Heyer.