An old Marine died today... William John O’Hara passed away peacefully at his home in Tucson, Arizona, on 15 December 2021. He was born as the third son and youngest child to Tony O’Hara and Mandy Arbour on 7 January 1937 at the Bonnieview outside Waubaushene, Ontario. At the age of 15, he emigrated to the United States and two years later he enlisted in the US Marine Corps. Just two years after that, while stationed in Toyko, Japan, he became a US citizen. Known as Bill while growing up and John after he became a Marine, our hero proudly served his country for 20 years. After retiring from the Marine Corps, John began his second career as a flight test engineer, first with Bell Helicopter International in Iran and later with Hughes Helicopters, McDonnell Douglas, and Boeing in Yuma and Mesa, Arizona. He retired as a flight test director from Boeing in 1999.
In 1960, John met and married Marlene Carli after a whirlwind 12-day romance. They were married for nearly 44 years before her passing in 2004. In 2006, John married Glenda Hatfield (nee Simpson), who survives him at their Tucson home.
In addition to his wife, John will be missed by his two daughters, Erin O’Hara and husband Jim Reed of Hereford, Arizona, and Shannon O’Hara-Haworth and husband Dennis Haworth of Mesa; his two grandsons, Tim and Ben; and many, many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his infant son Shawn in 1963, as well as his parents and all five of his siblings, Frances, Reta, Peggy, Charles, and Tom. Other surviving family includes three stepdaughters, Ginger, Gayle, and Gwen, their spouses, children, and grandchildren. Furthermore, John left a wide community of friends from among his worldly travels, his time in the Marine Corps, and through his service as a Mason.
Cremation has taken place. There will be a memorial service and ice cream social at 2 pm on 8 January 2022, at St John’s United Methodist Church, 60 West Veterans Boulevard, Tucson, AZ. Everyone is invited to attend.
Fiercely loyal to family and friends, John would very much appreciate your thinking of him while eating a bowl of ice cream, his favorite food. Even better, share the adventure of hunting or fishing with a loved one or simply spend a day in the great outdoors.
