Obituary for John H. Dugan
Courtesy of Wight & Comes Funeral Chapel -
John Henry Dugan, of the Eastern Shore, Maryland, passed away on December 9, 2021, following a long battle with esophageal cancer.
He is survived by his daughter Shawn Louise Dugan Drysdale (Neil Drysdale) and Michael Roby Dugan (Marlene Dugan) three grandchildren John Henry Dugan, Katelyn Dugan and Lita Drysdale. He is survived by five siblings, Joe Dugan (Jeanene Dugan), Mary Merz (Norm Merz), Patty Marx, Jane Dugan and Jim Dugan (Jane Dugan). He is also survived by his partner Nora Spicer and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
John was born in Watertown on November 18, 1938, the oldest child of Henry (Bud) and Inie Dugan. He graduated from Watertown High school in 1956 and he went on to graduate from South Dakota State University in 1960.
Following college John entered into the Naval Officers Candidate school and became a jet fighter pilot. He was one of the Navy’s early “Top Gun” pilots and was a naval test pilot. He served two tours of duty in the Tonkin Gulf and was assigned to the USS Ranger and the USS Enterprise during the Viet Nam War. Following his Navy tour, John worked in the Aerospace Division at Westinghouse.
He lived in Ireland for a number of years running the Westinghouse plant in Limerick. He later worked for Westinghouse’s successor company, Northrop Grumman, and retired from that company.
John loved life.
He was a gifted storyteller, piano player and jokester. Having grown up in South Dakota, John was an avid bird hunter and fly fisherman. He would often travel with his friends and son and grandson to Canada, Montana and Florida to fly fish. He returned to Watertown every fall to hunt with his brothers. John became a collector of antiques and was a talented woodworker.
He will be greatly missed.
The family would appreciate memorials to the Wounded Warrior organization, a cause near to John’s heart.
John Henry Dugan, of the Eastern Shore, Maryland, passed away on December 9, 2021, following a long battle with esophageal cancer.
He is survived by his daughter Shawn Louise Dugan Drysdale (Neil Drysdale) and Michael Roby Dugan (Marlene Dugan) three grandchildren John Henry Dugan, Katelyn Dugan and Lita Drysdale. He is survived by five siblings, Joe Dugan (Jeanene Dugan), Mary Merz (Norm Merz), Patty Marx, Jane Dugan and Jim Dugan (Jane Dugan). He is also survived by his partner Nora Spicer and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
John was born in Watertown on November 18, 1938, the oldest child of Henry (Bud) and Inie Dugan. He graduated from Watertown High school in 1956 and he went on to graduate from South Dakota State University in 1960.
Following college John entered into the Naval Officers Candidate school and became a jet fighter pilot. He was one of the Navy’s early “Top Gun” pilots and was a naval test pilot. He served two tours of duty in the Tonkin Gulf and was assigned to the USS Ranger and the USS Enterprise during the Viet Nam War. Following his Navy tour, John worked in the Aerospace Division at Westinghouse.
He lived in Ireland for a number of years running the Westinghouse plant in Limerick. He later worked for Westinghouse’s successor company, Northrop Grumman, and retired from that company.
John loved life.
He was a gifted storyteller, piano player and jokester. Having grown up in South Dakota, John was an avid bird hunter and fly fisherman. He would often travel with his friends and son and grandson to Canada, Montana and Florida to fly fish. He returned to Watertown every fall to hunt with his brothers. John became a collector of antiques and was a talented woodworker.
He will be greatly missed.
The family would appreciate memorials to the Wounded Warrior organization, a cause near to John’s heart.