John Haynes Lavin

John Haynes Lavin passed away in Salt Lake City on February 20, 2009 after a rich and abundant life.

He was born October 27, 1928 in Los Angeles, California to John and Jessie Lavin.

He grew up in the golden days of Southern California, playing at the beach, in the foothills and on the baseball diamond, working as a young man with his father on the backlot of Twentieth Century Fox. In high school he built his own sailboat and sailed it in the ocean. He married Barbara Grandy on February 1, 1951. She was his high school sweetheart from Dorsey High School. She was his life-long sweetheart and best friend.

John graduated from the School of Engineering at the University of Southern California in 1951. He spent his career as a mechanical engineer in the aerospace industry, spending 27 years with Hughes Aircraft Co., where he retired as a Senior Scientist. John was a true engineer and life-long builder. He was a skilled woodworker, loved the smell of sawdust and supplied his family and friends with wooden toys, furniture and holiday gifts built with his own hands. He enjoyed gardening and approached it with the discipline of an engineer and scientist. He had great affection for his cats, Daisy and Casey.

John loved sports. He spent his younger years playing baseball—eventually playing for the University of Southern California and in semi-pro leagues. When he walked off the baseball field he took up golf, which he played with discipline and accuracy into his late 70s. John and Barbara traveled extensively, and had a great curiosity for places and cultures around the world. He loved road trips to other states to visit family and friends.
John loved his family and took great pride in their accomplishments.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara Grandy Lavin, his children Maureen (Tom) Bennett, Kim (Bill) Roeder, six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Jessie Lavin, and his brother, Jim.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, February 24, 2009, at 11 a.m. at Jenkins Soffe Mortuary, 4760 S State Street, Murray, Utah, followed by a gathering of friends and family at the Lavin home that evening.

The family extends their gratitude for the skilled care and kindness of Dr. Jason Hunt and his staff, the nurses and staff at the Huntsman Cancer Institute, Paul Tanner and the compassionate service of the caregivers at Rocky Mountain Hospice. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Huntsman Cancer Institute.