| Graduation Year | Class of 1968 |
| Date of Passing | Dec 16, 2011 |
| About | DYER, JOHN EARL April 11, 1949 to December 16, 2011 John Earl Dyer, age 62, passed away after a long and courageous battle with cancer in his home in El Cajon on Friday, December 16th. John was born April 11, 1949 in Monterey, California, the only child of Katherine Margaret Wanless. He and his mother lived for several years in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They moved to Fairfield, California, where Kay married Clarence L. Bice in 1958. John spent many summers with his family in Richland Center, Wisconsin, where he created havoc for his aunt and uncle and had great fun with his Wanless cousins. John graduated from Armijo High School in Fairfield in 1968. He attended Sacramento State College and then California Polytechnic (Cal Poly) State University in San Luis Obispo, CA, graduating in 1974 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Ornamental Horticulture and a minor in Architecture. John enlisted in the Air Force, where he was a communications technician, stationed in Texas. Following college, John moved to El Cajon, where he lived for over 35 years, raising 2 children. He started a landscape construction company, Greenscape / Sunway Systems, in 1976. He was a member and then President of Lakeside Optimists, and he was a fixture at the Optimists' Lakeside Rodeo for many years. He was elected the Honorary Mayor of Lakeside in 1987. John was also a member of The El Cajon Elks Lodge; and he served on the Board of Governors for Home of Guiding Hands for many years, serving those with developmental disabilities. He loved cruising in his hotrods, cooking, reading, spending time in the Sierras, and smoking a good cigar. From the moment of his premature birth to his too-early death, John was a fighter: to live, to do the right thing, and to protect the people he loved. His generosity extended to his employees, friends, and those who were in need. He was the consummate host, his humor legendary, and his energy boundless. John will be greatly missed by the many people who knew him, were on the receiving end of his humor, benefited from his generosity, and were inspired by his courage. He is survived by his wife, Anne Curtright, father Clarence Bice, son John L. Dyer, daughter Kristina Dyer Mandelleh, son-in-law Kai Mandelleh, grand-daughters Alyx M. Dyer and Juliette Mandelleh, and grandson Jackson Mandelleh. John remained extremely positive throughout his illness, believing that a good spirit and attitude can overcome anything - he believed that every day is a gift, and lived his life to celebrate that and pass it on to others. A celebration of John's life will be held at the El Cajon Elks Lodge, January 14, 2012, at 11:30 a.m. Donations may be made in his name to The David and Donna Long Cancer Center at Sharp Grossmont Hospital, Sharp HospiceCare, or the Home of Guiding Hands. Published in The San Diego Union Tribune on Dec. 25, 2011 |
