John Gilbert Mansfield's Obituary
What a Ride
John G. Mansfield, Jr. was born April 1st, 1942 in Tacoma, Washington to John G. Mansfield, Sr. and Florence Marie (Johnson) Mansfield, and passed away April 11, 2023 in Tacoma, WA.
John attended McKinley Elementary, Stewart Jr. High, Lincoln and Stadium High Schools. In 1958 he became a member of the Demonos Car Club and U.S. Submarine Reserves. John graduated at Stadium H.S. and entered the U.S. Navy in 1960, serving Guam, in the communications center. He was a disc jockey on Armed Forces Radio and played on the NAVCOMMSTA Bluedevils championship football team as a tackle and guard. He attended submarine school and was assigned to USS Menhaden (SS377), his brother Don’s ‘boat.’ John was honorably discharged in 1965 as a Radioman 2nd class, qualified in submarines. He married Kathleen J. Paladie in 1966 and they headed to Washington D.C. where he worked for the Central Intelligence Agency as a Communications Officer. On October 28, 1966 his daughter, Jadene Marie was born in Warrenton, Virginia. They served two tours overseas and returned home while John attended college. He earned a BA in Communications from the University of Puget Sound in 1975.
The family moved back to Washington, D.C. and had tours in the Middle East and Europe. John worked in an agency TV studio, narrating, writing scripts and was the ‘audio specialist.’
Returning to the states in 1986, John became an instructor at agency’s communications school where he created, wrote and taught middle management courses. He also traveled extensively teaching personal computer operations to non-communications personnel at U.S. embassies. He was promoted to Chief of Operations for all agency communications facilities east of the Mississippi in 1990. John retired in 1992 as a GS-14 having completed 26 years of service.
Moving back home to Tacoma in 1993, John started a company called The Media Center, where he did photography and video productions for attorneys. At the same time he researched and authored a non-fiction military history book titled “Cruisers for Breakfast” about two WWII submarines that started the largest naval battle in history, at Leyte Gulf. John & Kathi Divorced in 2000 and he married Lori D. Horton from Ada, Oklahoma in 2002. They purchased and moved to his brother Don’s cabin in Ashford, Washington on Mount Rainier.
John became a Realtor in 2002 with ERA, Liberty Northwest and Better Properties companies until 2012. John & Lori divorced in 2013 and he moved to Puyallup.
John was an avid photographer, videographer & writer. He enjoyed sports like bowling, golf, tennis, softball, ping pong, darts and pool. He also enjoyed salmon fishing and clam digging.
John held many official positions throughout his life. He was secretary and newsletter editor for the Demonos & Bull Run Streetrod Car Clubs, Trustee with the Puyallup Elks Lodge, president of the Ashford Lions Club, Secretary and founder of the Cascade Regional Group of the Early Ford V8 Club, Life Member of Veterans of Foreign Wars, Past Commander of Eric G. Sandstrom VFW Post 969, and VFW District 3 Commander. He was an Associate member of U.S. Submarine Veterans of WWII, a life member of U.S. Submarine Veterans, Inc. and founder of South Sound Base in Tacoma, Western District 4 Commander, and Western Region Director. He served on USSVI’s National Board of Directors until 2014.
John is survived by his daughter, Jadene M. Kearney/Jay, grandchildren Maria Kearney, Johnny/Rebeca Perez Kearney, Michael/Casey Kearney, great grandsons, Noah Kearney, Everett Kearney, many nieces, nephews, cousins and Uncle, Donald L. Mansfield of Hemet, CA and Patricia.
He traveled the world on 34 different airlines to 32 countries and 165 cities in his career and he liked to say “What a Ride.”
Services will be held at Mountain View Funeral Home & Memorial Park, 4100 Steilacoom Blvd. SW, Lakewood, WA 98499 on May 11, 2023 at 11:30AM. Remembrance gathering immediately following at VFW Post 969, McKinley Avenue, Tacoma. WA.
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