John Crisp

John T. CrispOctober 18, 1918 - January 26, 2012Resident of San JoseJohn T. Crisp, a long and well-lived life. John, a fifty-year resident of San Jose, was born in Syracuse, NY. During WW II, he served in the USMC, fighting in battles throughout the South Pacific including Guadalcanal and Bougainville. After the war John was hired by General Electric Company, where he met his first true love, Thelma. They were married after an exciting, romantic courtship. John and Thelma spent the next 40 years working at GE, retiring together in 1987. Upon retirement, they embarked on a life of service. He and Thelma were regular volunteers at Kaiser Hospital in San Jose. They volunteered as hospice visitors, giving comfort to those in the final phase of their lives.John was also a long-time friend of Bill W. To many, John was available as a listener of their troubles and concerns, providing moral support to those going through hard times, digging into his wallet, or writing a check. If a gathering needed cookies, John and Thelma were there with a sweet selection from the Sunshine Bakery. John married Carmen a few years after Thelma passed away from a sudden illness. Together they volunteered at Kaiser Hospital and were there for their friends. John loved to travel, frequently returning to Syracuse to visit nieces and nephews. He took many cruises and he even returned to Australia, attempting to recapture his youthful days as a Marine on RR during WW II. The U.S. Marine never went out of John. He was proud of his country and service and his handshake could crush bones up until the end of his life. He loved women and was frequently roguishly flirtatious. He was always welcoming, openly friendly and generous.A spiritual man, John loved and was loved by those in the Fellowship of the Spirit. To some of those, he related that he finally felt the love of God. John will be remembered fondly by many. Visitation will take place Wednesday February 1st at Chapel of Flowers from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Interment at San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery.