James “Jim” Robert John, 73, of Toledo, Ohio, passed away peacefully on July 6, at University of Michigan Hospital. He succumbed to thyroid cancer after a brave and long five-year battle. He was born April 23, 1942, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to James A. and Margaret John.
An avid Air Force veteran, Jim then spent 40-plus years in the automotive aftermarket Industry. He began this career with the Champion Spark Plug Co. in Toledo and moved on to Genuine Parts Co. (NAPA), working in Los Angeles, California, then on to Triad Systems Corp. in Livermore, California. He spent the last 22 years of his career at Northwood University in Midland, Michigan. He was the chair of the aftermarket management program at Northwood until 2010, when he was named director of automotive program development and recruiting for the university.
He had a passion for the aftermarket and his students and led many of these students to their own careers in the automotive aftermarket. In 2009, he received the Mort Schwartz Excellence in Education Award for his work.
John is survived by his wife, Denise John, daughters Kathy (David) Wallick of Rocklin, CA, Allison (Randy) Osterloo of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and he was preceded in death by his daughter, Megan John. He leaves four grandchildren, Evy, Jack & George Osterloo and Ryan James Wallick. He is also survived by his sister Maureen Keslar, East Haven, Connecticut, and brother Robert John, Knoxville, Tennessee.
A memorial service is planned in several weeks.
