John P. McCluskey Jr.

John P. McCluskey, Jr. was a man with a great mind, a heart for family, and an incredibly admirable work ethic. He had great skills and talent and used his abilities to make a good life for his family. Yet, John was always up for a good laugh, and his illustrious chuckle made others want to join in. John embraced the love of his family above all else and spent a lifetime making precious memories which will be forever etched in the hearts of all those he leaves behind.

The 1950s were a bustling, optimistic time in American history, when neighborhoods and schools were bursting at the seams with children from the post-war Baby Boom. Families moved from the cities to stake their claims to a comfortable life in the suburbs, where new domestic technologies promised to make the average American life easier. John McCluskey, Jr. was born during this lively period to John and Lucille (Johnson) McCluskey, Sr. of Detroit, Michigan on June 25, 1950. He was the second youngest of their six children and the only boy. When John was just a young tot of 2, his parents moved the family from big city life to the rural community of Lawton, in southwestern Michigan. Here, John attended the area schools, though for a time he attended Mattawan High School, where he played halfback on the football team. He went on to complete his education at Lawton High, where he graduated in 1970 and was voted the most “jolliest.” Aside from his studies, John learned the value of hard work as he helped pick asparagus and grapes on their 40 acres farm before and after school.

After graduating, John followed the same patriotic calling of other young men of the time, and enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, proudly serving his country during the Vietnam War. John actually got drafted in the Army but chose to enlist in the USMC. He later said, that was the best decision he ever made since it led him to his soulmate Debra. Once back in the states, John was stationed in North Carolina and it was here that he met the love of his life, Debra. For Debra, John was truly everything she could ask for in a soul mate - he was kind, funny, sensitive and a true gentleman with captivating blue eyes. As fate would have it, they fell hopelessly in love and were happily married on August 21, 1974.

After his honorable discharge from the Marines, John and Debra returned home to Michigan and settled in Galesburg for a while before putting down roots in Vicksburg. In time, the couple would fill their home with three sons: Sean, Jason and Brad, who brought much love, laughter and activity to the McCluskey household. John wanted to be a strong, kind father to his sons – and he was. By example, he taught them the things that matter in life, like working hard, taking care of family and always keeping your promises. More than anything, he just wanted them to be happy, to be good men and to know that they were loved.

As a family, John and Debra did much with their boys and enjoyed memorable family vacations to Pennsylvania to visit Debra’s family. They also liked to go to the beach, and John worked all year long on staying buff and fit for those trips. As a teenager, John took an interest in cars and it grew into one of his favorite pastimes. Over the years, he had several hot cars to show for it too – like a 1958 Corvette, a 1967 Chevelle and a 1955 Chevy, as well as a Harley Davidson Sportster. Although John loved to have fun with his toys, work had its place too. For many years, he took great pride in his work as a highly skilled machinist at Hydreco and then Hammond Machinery. However, after a very serious head-on car accident on October 16, 1993, John was left with a brain injury and was no longer able to work. He was immensely revered among his co-workers, and they gave John a wonderful retirement party.

Although John had to give up many things after the accident, he still could enjoy mowing the lawn, bumping up and down on his tractor, and he now had a four-legged companion following him everywhere with his new puppy, Gigi, who he adored. Like in his childhood, John and Debra had a large garden every year, and enjoyed sharing their bounty with family and friends. John’s favorite meal of the day was breakfast, and it seemed to never end because he drank coffee all day long. He loved watching his favorite movies and TV shows, though his greatest joy of all was spending time with his family and precious granddaughter, Ali. John was also known as the candyman, he always passed out Tooties Roll Pops.

For John, family was the greatest source of happiness in his life. He and Debra were truly blessed to share a deep, abiding love as they faced and overcame many of life’s fiercest obstacles together, including John’s accident and his battle with cancer. Their love truly stood the test of time, and is a wonderful example to everyone around them. In memory of her beloved husband John, Debra wrote: “My love for you is timeless and grew stronger every day. I can’t imagine facing life without you and feel I’ve lost my way. Ever since the day I met you, I knew one thing for sure. I loved you then, I love you now, I’ll love you forevermore.”

John P. McCluskey, Jr., age 62, of Vicksburg, MI passed away on Friday, October 26, 2012, at Kairos Dwelling. Visit with his family and friends and view his life story film on Thursday, November 1, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Life Story Funeral Home, Vicksburg; 409 S. Main Street (269-649-1697). A Funeral will follow at 12:00 p.m.

John’s family includes his wife, Debra; his children: Sean, Jason (Shana), Brad; and his granddaughter, Ali. He was preceded in death by his parents: John Sr. and Lucille, and his sisters, Rosie and Dee-Dee. Please visit John’s memory page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you may share a memory or photo and sign his online guest book before coming to the funeral home. Memorial contributions can be made to Kairos Dwelling or The American Cancer Society.