John D. Page

John Durwood Page
Orange Park, FL
John Durwood Page departed this earthly life on Tuesday, October 11, 2011, because of complications from pancreatic cancer and stroke. He was born in Angier, NC on July 28, l936, the third of seven children born to John U. Page and Zada Belle Lawrence. John had a difficult childhood, and always credited his uncle Kinchen Spivey and his friend Newton Smith for helping him reach his 17th birthday. He then joined the Army on December 31, 1953. He trained at Ft. Jackson. SC and was then posted at Ft. Campbell, KY. In August 1954 on a trip to Nashville, TN he met his wife, Wilma Craft. They were married July 23,1955. During all the ups and downs of the ensuing years, they remained together and were best friends who knew they could always depend on each other no matter what happened.
John was discharged from the Army on December 12, 1956, and returned to NC. He quickly discovered he did not want to be there and returned to Nashville, TN. He joined the Navy on February 3, 1959, and at last found a home. He spent some good years in the Navy based at Norfolk, VA, Monterey, CA, Sunnyvale, CA, and Jacksonville, FL. He also did several deployments to the Phillipines. He was an Aircrew Survival Equipment Technician and was an instructor at several of his duty stations. While based in Norfolk, VA. he was on Admiral John McCain's staff and went on several different ships for short deployments. He retired on September 30, 1975, while on a six month deployment aboard the USS Forrestal, the longest period he had ever been at sea. He did not care much for sea duty, and fortunately he had only the one long assignment at sea.
John enjoyed everything about planes and flying. He was very disappointed that defective eyesight prevented him from getting into the helicopter pilot program during the Viet Nam era. He had many pilot friends during his Navy career, particularly in Monterey, CA. He spent many happy hours flying with them on training missions, and they taught him how to fly small planes up thru his solo flights. He was a paratrooper in the Army and a recreational skydiver for many years. He worked as a Project Manager handling air cargo for Zantop Airlines, Logistics International Services, and Mark Dunning Industries for ten years. He retired for good on September 30, l995.
During retirement he and his wife lived very quietly and privately doing things together. They each had a passion for assisting those in need whether they be animal or human. John also enjoyed his noontime bingo games. He prevented countless numbers of unwanted kittens from being born by participating in trap, spay/neuter, and release programs. Over the years, he tended many feral cat colonies. John constructed shelters, took them to the veterinarian, and fed them daily. They also took many abandoned pets into their home.
John was predeceased by his parents, his sister Ruth Smith, his step-father Willie T. Hedgepeth, brothers-in-law James Albery and Charlie Smith, and his mother-in-law Edith Craft who was a member of his household for thirty years. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, brothers Fred Page, Jerry Page (Diane), Angier, NC,sisters Anne Albery, Fayetteville, NC, Joyce Niles (Gene), Milton, TN, Judy Holleman (David), Angier, NC. He had many nieces and nephews, step-siblings, and half-siblings. He is also survived by his surrogate family, the J.M. Wilson, Sr, family, Nashville, TN.
John had a delightful sense of humor and liked to joke around, but he was also a very disciplined person who always said to get things done, you make a plan and execute the plan.He always did the very best he could at everything he had to do. He accepted his last big challenge with dignity and grace. He made his plan and asked his wife to execute the plan for him. John never liked ceremonies nor fanfare. At his request, there will be no services of any kind. His body will be cremated, and when his wife dies, their ashes will be co-mingled and buried in their grave site in Magnolia Cemetery, Orange Park, FL.
Energy never dies, just changes form. That spark of energy that is the essence of John is now soaring throughout the universe. Dear husband and friend, have many good flights and happy landings.
Many thanks to the medical personnel in the Orange Park Rescue Unit, Orange Park Medical Center, Mayo Clinic, Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital, and Earl Hadlow Community Hospice for the care provided in John's last month of life. Also, thanks to Dr. Kenneth Nix, Mayo Clinic for 25 years of care.
Arrangements by Hardage-Giddens Rivermead Funeral Home, 127 Blanding Blvd. Orange Park, Fl. 32073.
Post tribute at www.hardage-giddensrivermead.com