John Everett Champe

On August 15 2018, John E. Champe has been peacefully called home to God. He was the son of the late Rev. Howard and Eleanor Pendleton Lord Champe. Born on August 4 1922 at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, CT. He resided in Gilead, CT with his parents until they accepted a missionary calling to Mexico when he was one year old. The Great Depression brought an end to the mission work 7 years later. Now the family with two new daughters (Ruth and Grace), made the trek north from Mazatlon back across the U.S. to Hebron, CT. In 1933 the family moved to Lebanon, CT where his father Rev. Howard C. Champe took a Pastorship of the First Congregational Church of Lebanon. John went on to graduate from Lyman Memorial High School in 1940, as class President and Valedictorian. As a result he was offered a scholarship to Hiram College in Hiram, OH. In September of 1942 John enlisted in the Army Air Corps where he began training to become a Radio Operator. Consequently, John was assigned to O.C.S for further training in radio operation and code breaking for undercover serice in France. Shortly after D-Day he was transported to London, England on the renovated ship HMS Queen Elizabeth. Continuing to France before our troops arrived. Some weeks later his unit was one of the first to enter Paris where he was assigned to a Top Secret Communications Center. In 1946 he married his high school sweetheart and soulmate Janice Gallup Geer. Then returning to college at Yale University to complete his studies. Upon graduation he joined the Air Force Reserve and at the start of the Korean War he was called to service because of his communications specialty, and was stationed in Germany. His wife joined him and he was assigned as Provost Marshall to Aircraft Control and warning radar station. After two years of service and traveling Europe they returned to Connecticut and settled in Bloomfield where he was employed by the Conn. General Life Insurance Company and also continued with the Air Force Reserve completing 20 years of service retiring with the rank of Major. In the late 1950's they adopted two children, Suzanne and Jeremy. Very active and devoted to his family they raised their children and finally retired to Lebanon to his wife's family farm restoring the nearly 300 year old home. Later they bought a small home in Punta Gorda, FL and traveled there for many winters by RV with John's mother  Eleanor and sister, Grace and Don Inglis along with Janice's brother Daivd and Jan Geer. After 50 years of marriage his beloved wife Janice passed away. He later married Helen Trousdale Mahoney, they made their home in his newly built house in Lebanon. And continued to winter in Punta Gorda until 2004 when hurricane Charlie demolished their winter home. He and Helen remained active for many years crossing the U.S. twice by RV, and to Mexico, The Panama Canal, and Hawaii. John and Helen recently celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary.

John is survived by his second wife Helen Mahoney Champe, daughter Suzanne Dobrowolsky, Grandson Joseph Dobrowolsky and his wife Jessica, and 4 Great Grandchildren Nessa, Jonathan, Natalie, and Emma, and granddaughter Jennifer Dobrowolsky, as well as two sisters Grace and Rev. Don Inglis of Pleasant Hill, TN and Ruth Milanick of PA and FL. He is also survived by Hellen's six children Jim and Ruth Mahoney, Judy and Rick Snayd, Margaret and Pat Mahoney, Rob and Collete Mahoney, Tom and Barbara Mahoney, and Ellen Mahoney. aswell as 23 Stepgrandchildren and 19 Step Greatgrandchildren. He is predeceased by his first wife Janice Geer, and son Jeremy, brother-in-law David and Jan Geer, brother-in-law Al Milanick and Son-in-law Donald Dobrowolsky.

A service to honor John's long and accomplished life will be held Saturday September 8, 2018 at 11am at the First Congregational Church of Lebanon on Exeter Road in Lebanon, CT. Donations in John's name may be made to his beloved church.

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