With heavy hearts, we share the passing of John Edward Danielson of San Diego, CA.
What follows is not the whole story, but a thread of it.
John spent his working life as ['a Missionary Kids School with Central American Mission'] and held deeply to the Baptist faith — and was, by all accounts, loved by those who knew him best.
A life of belief is a life of quiet conversation with something larger.
John Edward Danielson was born in Fort Worth, Texas on July 23, 1954 to missionary parents Edward and Louise Danielson. They traveled to Central America for language school when John was about 3 and John grew up in Central America, while his parents worked at a Missionary Kids School with Central American Mission. When he was in the first grade, his parents returned to the states and they lived in Colorado Springs, Colorado area for a year. They all returned to Honduras and Costa Rica. When John was in the 4th grade his family moved to El Paso Texas, where his father operated a bookstore. His father moved the family again to Tennessee, to complete a degree at Bryan College. John was in 7th and 8th grades there near the Smokey Mountains. John loved Tennessee and had very fond memories. In 1970 his parents took a position at Faith Academy, Philippines with Mission Aviation Fellowship MAF. John lived there for 2 years where he completed 10th-12th grade in 2 years. He made many lasting friendships. He graduated in 1972. After graduation he traveled through Europe and then went to College in eastern Texas at LaTourneau College, in Longview Texas. He attended there for one semester then he returned to San Diego to live with his paternal grandparents and his Aunt BettyMay and Uncle Will. During this time he got a job at the Union/Tribune newspaper, when it was still downtown. He attended Mesa college and met my best friend, Marilyn Dodds, who introduced him to me. 12 months later we got married on June 22, 1975. In June 1981 we welcomed Andrew John Danielson to our family, and in April 1984 his sister Jennifer Lynn joined our family. John was an Eagle Scout in a troup his Father lead. John went to Miramar College and got his Airplane Mechanics license from the FAA. After the newspaper, John got a job at PSA, the airline. He loved that job!!!! Initially he got hired as a Photographer and worked in the tech pubs department. As the airline was getting ready to be sold, he worked his way into upper management as a director of programs and planning. He was extremely sad when the airline sold. He loved to travel. And, he loved to be in charge of his group of people, and he was good at it. When John was 12 years old he gave his heart to Jesus, and was baptized in a river in Costa Rica, by his father. That decision changed the trajectory of his life forever. He loved his family, including his Faith Academy family. Any time he heard about a Faith reunion, we would travel to that event. Fortunately, many were held in the LA area, so we went to many reunions. John is preceded in death by his mother, Frances Louise Danielson in 2009, and his father; Edward Earl Danielson in 2023. His paternal grandparents; Irvin Danielson (1982), and Inez Danielson (1988), and his maternal grandparents; Francis Engles (1974) and Reba Engles (1994) John is survived by his wife, Susan, of 51 years and his son, Andrew, and daughter, Jennifer...also, his sister Deborah Louise who is married to Tim Nimigan. They have two daughters; Laura and Kayla. And many nieces and nephews, as well as cousins, brother-in-law and sister-in-law. John got his degree in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix in 1997, and then his masters in the same title, at the same school, two years later. John was President of the PTF at the school Andy and Jennifer attended for 2 years, and he volunteered at Junior Church when we attended College Avenue Baptist Church. He also volunteered at the Food Bank at Journey Community Church. John was a part of Toastmasters International for 10 + years and received many titles.
