SMSgt. John M. Litten, 87, of Washington Court House, passed into life eternal Sunday, March 3, 2019, at 5:40 p.m. at his home.
John was born April 3, 1931, in Jockey Hollow near Flushing, Ohio to Carl “Bus” and Mary Elizabeth Clements Litten.
After graduating from Flushing High School in 1949, John joined the United States Air Force in 1951. His basic training was at Sampson Air Force Base in New York and his aircraft maintenance school was at Shepard AFB in Texas. His first permanent assignment was to Furstenfeldbruck, Germany with TDYs to Bremen. There he became a flight engineer. On returning home in 1955, and reenlisting, he was assigned to Wright Patterson Air Force Base as a flight engineer. While there he met and, in 1957, married Alma M. Myers. His next assignment was in 1959 to Ashiya, Japan. White at Ashiya AFB, John served as dock chief and organized the first C-130 maintenance dock. This earned him his Airman of the Year award—the first of many accolades. He then was assigned to Tinker AFB in Oklahoma. From there he went to Scott AFB in Illinois where he was promoted to T/Sgt and because of his performance there he was awarded the USAF letter of commendation. In 1964, he was assigned to Ramstein, Germany where he served as NCO in charge of quality control. He also was on the IG team that inspected other bases in Europe. He was promoted to Master Sergeant and also received the first of his three USAF commendation medals due to several outstanding achievement. In 1968, he was assigned to Phu Cat Vietnam, where he was NCO in charge of maintenance control, working directly under the officer in charge. He was responsible for all of the base maintenance by making sure all of the planes were ready for flight. He again served on the IG team inspecting bases in Vietnam and Thailand. Because of his outstand work, he received his second USFA commendation medal. His final assignment was at Lockbourne AFB where he retired in 1972. There he earned his third USAF commendation medal.
After retirement John worked at Bank 1 in Circleville. Then he worked at RCA ten years before he retired again.
John loved traveling. While serving at Ramstein, John took his family on trips throughout Europe and England. After retiring from RCA, he and his wife made many trips to Europe and throughout the United States. John made friends that lasted his lifetime. He loved God, his family, friends and country.
He was preceded in death by his beloved son, William Lance Litten in 2013; his sister, Phyllis Litten Nichols; two brothers, Kenneth and Arthur Litten and a brother-in-law, Loren Skeen.
John is survived by his wife, the former Alma M. Myers whom he married May 4, 1957; a daughter, Karen Litten Grim of Salt Lake City, Utah; two grandchildren, Kristina (Ethan) Grim and Alexander Grim; four brothers, Robert David (Beryl) Litten and Albuquerque, NM, Larry (Leona) Litten and Gerald (Gerry) Litten all of Fairborn, OH and Carl Steven Litten of Phoenix, AZ; three sisters, Vivian Skeen of Canton, Ohio, Sandra (Larry) Gunckel of Greenville, OH and Kathleen Mellott of Lakeland, FL; a brother-in-law, Robert Nichols of TN and several nieces and nephews.
The funeral will Friday, March 8, 2019, at 12 Noon at the Warren Funeral Home in Flushing, Ohio with Mell Wickensimer, director of visitation at the Grace United Methodist Church, officiating. Burial will follow in the Rock Hill Cemetery near Flushing.
Friends may call at the Kirkpatrick Funeral Home in Washington Court House on Wednesday from 4-7 p.m. and again at the Warren Funeral Home one hour prior to the service on Friday.
Memorial contributions may be made to Ohio’s Hospice of Fayette County, 222 North Oakland Avenue, Washington Court House, Ohio 43160 or Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 460 West Tenth Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43210.
www.kirkpatrickfuneralhome.com
