Obituaries

John Henry Holmes, 75, a resident of the Gino J. Merli Veterans Center, passed away Monday, February 5, at Regional Hospital of Scranton.

Born November 15, 1948 in Binghamton, NY, son of the late William G. and Dorothy C. Holmes, John was a 1968 graduate of Binghamton Central High School.  John earned a Third Class License from the School of Broadcasting and Announcing, New York, NY.   A Veteran of the United States Air Force, served at DaNang AFB in a Supply Squadron from September 1968-October 1969. He also worked with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations in undercover narcotics.  While serving in the Minnesota Air National Guard, John was an Investigator/Security Specialist concerning covert issues.  Honorably discharged in 1982, John received several meritorious commendations.  After his military duty, John worked in Minnesota health care facilities as well as continuing to work in security and undercover investigations for various Minnesota companies, and later for Pennsylvania companies. John received a diploma from Health Choice Clinic as a Certified Massage Therapist, and his clientele throughout the Abington, PA area enjoyed the treatments he offered. When John moved from Minnesota to Abington, he worked for Wackenhut Corporation and Allied Barton Security Services as a Security Guard/ Supervisor at Merck Pharmaceutical, Upper Gwynedd until retiring in 2016.  He then moved to Montgomery, PA and later transferred to the Gino J. Merli VA Center, Scranton, PA.  John was a former member of Cornerstone Christian Fellowship, Abington, PA.

John will be remembered as a very loving and personable man who was always interested in people.  Joking and teasing with his family and friends, or anyone he met, was his true enjoyment.  His greatest desire was to be an example of his greatest love – His Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Surviving are sister, Eleanor R. Pauling, and husband, James, Montgomery, PA; sister, Joyce E. Ross, and husband, Robert, Crossville, TN; and brother-in-law, Dr. John L. Marshall, Abington, PA.

Along with his parents, John was preceded in death by a sister, Marilyn J. Holmes Marshall.