John Killen

Memorial contributions for John Killen may be sent to: St. Clare's Garden 449 South Pine Avenue, Brea, CA 92821 or Pathways to Independence, P.O. Box 43,?Los Alamitos, CA 90720.Quiet, reserved and logical are trademark qualities that friends and family might use to describe John Killen. John was an intuitive person. He was the type of person who could comfortably get lost in his thoughts, someone who had tremendous problem solving abilities. Always conscientious and focused on details, John was a person who loved to imagine the possibilities of life.''''''''''''John was born on July 14, 1930 in Kilwinning, Ayrshire, Scotland. He was the son of Marie and Michael Killen and grew up with his brother Jim. Growing up, John did not have to surround himself with people to be content. He was the type of person who enjoyed being alone as much as he could be part of a crowd. He could be content for hours in some activity or be lost in his own imagination. John was adaptable and had good listening skills which he would use to his advantage with friends and family. ''''''''''''In school, John gravitated toward others who shared similar interests and enjoyed academics more than physical activity. He was always curious about what made things work, and he would excel at the things that called more for "brain" power. John took part in music and theater and was actively involved in his church. At an early age he started to play the piano and became a brilliant pianist. This began a love of music that continued throughout his life playing at church and also forming a rock and roll band with his brother Jim. He also delighted in the projects that required planning, exploration and solution. As was evident by those who knew him, he found great pleasure in reading and believed you could learn most things from books and then turn thought into action with what you discovered. John acted as a courier during World War II between the railway station and a "Twelve O'clock High" American and British air base near Prestwick. He shared the tale of how some of the American GIs taught him how to drive a jeep when he was 14 years old, which began his love of automobiles. ''''''''''''If his friends from school thought John was a serious student, then those who knew him later really saw him shine during his college years. He studied theology at Austerly College in Middlesex, England and had a thirst for knowledge turning out quality work and setting high academic standards. When his father died, he had to leave school to support his family, but his love of gaining knowledge and information was a continuing passion throughout his life. John was a veteran and began his service to Her Majesty's Royal Air Force in 1948. Through his hard work and dedication, he achieved the rank of Lance Corporal. ''''''''''''John was a hard worker and a good provider who loved his family. In 1963, he and his wife Maureen brought their three children, Marie, Michael, and Anne, to the United States with little more than five suitcases and the dream of a better life. He arrived in Long Beach, California six months before his family and worked as an accountant during the day and played the piano at night to earn enough money to bring his family across the pond. Within a few years their family was rounded out with the arrival of their youngest child Daniel. They were also blessed with three grandchildren, Shauna, Megan and Will. John's sense of fun was often demonstrated in his puns and witty, intelligent quips. It delighted him when his children and grandchildren demonstrated their talents and intelligence and shared their love of knowledge with him. ''''''''''''Finding the right type of job can be a challenge for anyone, and John was no exception. He found a career in accounting that would challenge him and could use his natural intellect and critical thinking skills. He started his professional career in the U.S. as an accountant for Star-Kist. During that time he also studied to become a U.S. Citizen with his young children quizzing him on American history and the U.S. Constitution. He proudly became a citizen in 1968. He later became the VP of Finance for Arcata Microfilm in the late 60s and ultimately became the company's president. His professional career culminated in his position as CFO for Kirkhill Aircraft Parts Company (KAPCO) in Brea, California. He retired as the company's CFO, but continued to consult and act as a member of the Board of Directors until 2002. John was a dedicated and valued employee and was respected by his colleagues for his ability to grasp and understand difficult concepts and lead the company's effort to create an ESOP (Employee Stock Option Program) for the company.''''''''''''Hobbies were more than fun for John because he challenged himself to learn the theory behind the actual activity. Knowing how things worked was even more incentive than simply performing and completing the task. His favorite pursuits were model railroading, home improvement projects, playing the piano and organ, traveling in his various RVs, and painting.''''''''''John contributed a great deal to the organizations to which he belonged. His own ability to adapt, and his compassion and understanding helped those around him in a variety of situations. John worked hard once he became committed to a goal, and he was a strong contributor whenever it came to the planning process. John was very involved in his community and celebrated a 33 year membership in a Twelve Step program. He shared his experience, strength and hope with thousands in recovery and will be deeply missed by the fellowship. ''''''''''''John's strong sense of faith helped him remain focused on the needs and concerns of others. These values brought him strength and helped to reinforce the importance of both his faith and the practice of his religion. This abiding faith supported John through some difficult periods of his life, including the death of his wife Maureen in an accident in 1998. Always filled with a spirit of faith, hope, and love, he traveled to Ireland in 2001 on a bus tour and met Kathie, who became his wife in 2002. She became his constant companion and they shared a true, abiding and unconditional love that sustained John and gave him tremendous joy in his final years. Raised in the Catholic Church, John was always been a deeply spiritual person curious about every aspect of his faith. For the last 8 years John and his wife Kathie have been members of St. George's Parish Episcopal Church. During that time, he served as a Eucharistic Minister and a liturgy reader. His stewardship also included Stephen Ministry and he served as the church treasurer.''''''''''''Travel was a luxury for John and something that he took great pleasure in doing with his wife Kathie. He enjoyed the planning stages, as he did research and learned all about the places that they would be visiting. Favorite vacations included trips back home to Scotland and cruises to Europe, Mexico, and Alaska. They also traveled to visit Kathie's family in Ohio and John's daughter Anne and her family n Arizona. A favorite pastime were RV adventures to the Pacific Northwest, Sedona, Idaho, Wyoming and New Mexico.''''''''''''John enjoyed the animal companion in his life. One of John's favorites was Tippy, a terror mix that adopted the family early in their life in America, was with the family for over 10 years. Recently he enjoyed the companionship of he and Kathie's cat Sam. He could spend hours in private thought, with his faithful companion Sam sitting on his lap. ''''''''''''John Killen passed away on December 14, 2011 at home in Laguna Hills, California. He was often called the "comeback kid," after battling a long list of diseases including Parkinson's, Congestive Heart Failure, Hydrocephalus, and Diabetes and surviving quintuple heart bypass surgery, hip replacements and two brain surgeries. He was in many ways a walking miracle and his family feels blessed to have had him in their lives as long as they have. This final bout of illness finally took him home to be with God and he died peacefully with his family and close friends by his side. He is survived by his wife Kathie; his children Marie, Michael, Anne, and Daniel; his grandchildren Shauna, Megan and Will; his brother Jim. Services were held at St. George's Parish Episcopal Church. John was laid to rest in the Columbarium at St. George's Episcopal Church.'''''''''''' Those who knew and loved John will miss his quiet gentleness, his curiosity and his ability to often turn any situation into fun experiences. He leaves all those who knew him with many wonderful memories.