John William Hobaugh

John W. Hobaugh, longtime resident of Warrington PA, age 79, died on June 26, 2021 sooner than he wished.

He was born in Pittsburgh on December 6, 1941 to John J. and Jessie Bell (Ferguson) Hobaugh. As the only boy and the youngest child, his was doted on by his sisters, Jean (Lessig), Eleanor, Joyce (Parks) and Kathleen (Hildenbrand) in Irwin, PA. John attended Norwin High school where he made many lifelong friendships. He went on to join the Air Force where he served in Wiesbaden, Germany during the Berlin Crisis of 1961 that culminated in the construction of the Berlin Wall. Upon returning to the USA, John used his GI bill to obtain a degree in Marketing and then his MBA. While in Dayton Ohio, John rescued Regina Mengis of Philadelphia/Cinnaminson NJ from a snake and then married her on October 11, 1969.

John’s career started in electronics first at National Cash Register and then working on early MOS technology for the ENIAC at the University of Pennsylvania. He then worked for several years at Johnson Controls on building environmental systems, ran his own HVAC service company and then moved into engineering and manufacturing at Penn Engineering where he retired as a Quality Control Engineer.

In retirement, John enjoyed working on house projects and traveling with his family and grandchildren. He became a self-taught “lumber-jack/sawyer”, owning his own personal sawmill and making board and beams for whoever needed lumber. Ultimately, he produced all of the oak beams for a retirement home in Kingsville, Maryland, where he lived with his daughter and where he volunteered with the Friends of Jerusalem Mill.

He is survived by his daughter Julie M. (Van Campen), his son John D. (wife Stephanie, in Midlothian VA), two adored grandchildren - Jacob and Sophie Hobaugh. John is also survived by countless cousins, nieces, nephews, grand nieces and nephews, great-grand nieces and nephews and his late wife’s large extended and loving family. He was gleefully known as “Pop” to his grandkids, “Uncle Johnny” to most of his family and “Great John” to the great-grand’s. John had an infectious smile and always a positive attitude. He loved family reunions, giving bear hugs, telling stories and he will be missed by all who knew him.

Visitation is at the E.F. Lassahn Funeral Home, P.A., 11750 Belair Road, Kingsville, MD 21087 on Wednesday, June 30, 2021, from 5-7 pm. Funeral services will be held at the funeral home on Wednesday, June 30, 2021, at 7 pm. A graveside service will be held at St. John Neumann Cemetery, 3797 County Line Road, Chalfont, PA 18914, on Thursday, July 1, 2021 at 11:30 am. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Friends of Jerusalem Mill at www.jerusalemmill.org or in honor of his granddaughter Sophie to the juvenile diabetes research foundation www.jdrf.org