John William Horne

Monongalia County Surveyor, John W. Horne, 80 of Morgantown passed away Saturday March 27, 2010 at the Sundale Nursing Home. He was born in Morgantown on January 10, 1930 son of the late Charles H. Horne and Golda H. Horne. John was drafted in the US Army in 1949. Following two years of service he was enlisted in the US Air Force in 1951 until 1954, during which two years were served over seas in Korea. Upon returning, John joined the West Virginia National Guard 197th Tank Battalion, 1955-1956 then transferred to the 150th Armored Cavalry, West Virginia National Guard. He was a member of the 201st Infantry Field Artillery Association. John studied under the GI Bill in Civil Engineering at WVU and Glenville State College and later attained his Bachelor of Arts in Civil Engineering in 1967; Masters of Civil Engineering in 1969; Doctorate of Civil Engineering in 1996 and Masters of Business Administration 2001 from Versailles University Professionally he was employed with the City of Morgantown Engineering Department from 1954 until 1964. He joined the USDA in 1964-67 designing and building flood control dams in West Virginia. In 1967 John was elected Mon County Surveyor, serving until his death. John entered private business doing coal mining, civil engineering and land surveying until retirement full retirement in 2009. John is best known for his honorary volunteerism for US Military Veterans. He coordinated over 2000 military funeral rites in his lifetime also honoring the need for flags in and around Mon County. Memorials special to John were, Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Pearl Harbor Day and many other local celebrations John was instrumental in establishing the Veterans Memorial Plaza at the Court House Square, the Mast BB48 Memorial Battleship West Virginia on the WVU Campus and the 201st War Memorial ‘The Tank’ at the intersection of Route 705 and Don Nehlen Drive. Survivors are his wife Camille W. Horne, two sons, John, Jr., Charles H. Horne, II and wife Beth of Morgantown, a daughter Catherine Comberetti and husband Barry of Morgantown; three sisters Dorothy Flanagan and husband Maynard of Morgantown, Sevelia Belec of Middletown, OH and Helen Fessler and husband Martin of Monterey, Mexico who are Christian Missionaries; nine grandchildren; nine great grandchildren and a number of nieces and nephews. IN addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his first wife Eleanor C. Horne; brother George Chisler and infant sister Eleanor. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the Salvation Army of Morgantown 1224 University Avenue Morgantown, WV 26505-5420 and/or Animal Friends of West Virginia 252 Brewer Road Morgantown, WV 26508. Friends may call at the Fred L. Jenkins Funeral Home, Wed. March 31, 2010 from 3-5 and 7-9pm and again on Thursday from 7-9pm with military ceremony at 8pm. Funeral services will be held 11am Friday April 2, 2010 at the Fred L. Jenkins Chapel of Prayer with Rev. David M. Hudson and Pastor Martin Fessler officiating. Burial will follow with full military rites conducted by Morgantown VFW Post 548, WVANG, Camp Dawson and Morgantown 201st Infantry Field Artillery.