JOHN C. ESPLAND
John Claire Espland, 81, quietly passed away March 5, 2020 at his home in North County, with family & friends in attendance. It was hard to say good-bye to this hardworking, loyal & upstanding Christian man, but knowing he has gone to a place of unending joy with the Lord, lifts our hearts with praise & thanksgiving.
John has been suffering from Parkinson's & COPD for the last several years, but even with the added stress of Parkinson's' related dementia this last year or so, he never lost his love & gratitude for Jesus. He would tell you, Dear Reader, that Jesus loves you ~ whatever your race, religion or creed... Jesus loves you.
Proud of his Norwegian descent, John was born in Chester, South Dakota on December 22nd, 1938 to John and Ada (Gill) Espland and into a big Lutheran family. He was a mischievous, but kindhearted, 5th son. Being a typical Mid-western farm boy, he learned to be a hardworking, frugal and cautious man. He took these values to heart and lived them until the day he died.
After serving in the Army and National Guard, he found himself driving a 100 Ton truck at the Kaiser Steel Mine in Eagle Mountain, Ca. He married Antoinette Louise (Sanuy) in 1965 and had two daughters, Robin Elizabeth and Kathleen Marie. Here, the couple was very involved with the Youth Ministry at Eagle Mountain Methodist Church. They discovered the joy of being part of a caring group of people who loved the Lord and enjoyed working to give back to their little mining town community.
He and Toni moved to La Mesa in 1971 and later settled in Lemon Grove, Ca, joining Lemon Grove Lutheran Church. John began a new career in the grocery industry with Alpha Beta and soon enough, landed the role of Produce Manager for the brand new Alpha Beta in Coronado, Ca. His career at that store spanned from the early 1970's to his retirement in 2001. He knew and loved his customers, so whether the name was Alpha Beta, Lucky’s or finally Albertson's, his careful, diligent work and his twinkling, blue eyed smile were respected, appreciated and valued by those who knew him. He was very involved with Kiwanis and assisted a Tijuana orphanage for many, many years.
John and Toni moved to Rancho Peñasquitos in 1977 and continued raising their girls in this new and burgeoning community. John continued to commute to Coronado, Toni continued her career working for” Ma Bell” and the family joined Rancho Peñasquitos Lutheran Church. They divorced amicably in the mid 1980's and continued to partner in parenting because they knew it was best for their girls.
He met, fell in love with, and married Sherry Sue (Parker) December 5, 1987 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in El Cajon, CA. John loved Sherry’s children, Tina and Robert Bowers, like his own and strove to be the best step-father he could. The family lived in both Rancho Peñasquitos and Mira Mesa. They attended 1st Baptist Church of Mira Mesa for 25 years. After retirement he volunteered in many ways but the thing that brought his soul the most joy was his help with the California Southern Baptist Convention’s Disaster Relief Mission. He built, did plumbing, cleared debris, fed people and anything else that was needed in Tsunami destroyed Bande Ache; earthquake ravaged Chile; hurricane devastated Haiti, New Orleans, Florida and Texas. He would’ve continued on if he himself had not also been under attack by nature. The Parkinson’s took away what was most important to him, his ability to serve the Lord by working.
John spent as much time with his family & friends as possible. He lived to greet familiar clerks, bank tellers, and employees of his local Stater Bro’s. He spread Jesus' love and blessings verbally, instead of through works, by wishing everyone well. Although his smile became stiffer as the Parkinson’s progressed, his blue eyes still twinkled. His favorite pastimes these last few years were visiting with as many people as he could, eating ice cream & being at church with his beloved brothers and sisters of the spiritual kind.
John was preceded in death by his parents and 4 brothers; Howard William, Donald John, Gary Dean & David Andrew Espland. He is survived by his brother Robert Thomas Espland, 92, of Volga, SD. He leaves behind his widow Sherry; ex-wife Antoinette Berthelotte; children Robin (Kaufman), Kathleen (Harris); step-children Tina (Colangelo), and Robert; his son-in-laws Michael, Paul and John; 8 grand-children and 2 great-grandsons.
He will be interred at Miramar National Cemetery in a private ceremony. Due to COVID19, John’s Memorial Service has been postponed until restrictions on social gatherings have been lifted. Until then, may the Lord lift up your worry, fill your hearts with peace and keep you safe.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the following institutions in John’s name:
CSBC – California Southern Baptist Convention’s Disaster Relief Services
NCPSG – North County Parkinson’s Support Group
Bethel Church’s Uganda Missions
