St. JOHNS, Mich.— John Wesley Cecil, 85, of St Johns, Mich., went home to be with the Lord Tuesday, May 2, 2017.
John was born May 23, 1931 in Highland Park, Mich., the son of Lee and Alice (Stover) Cecil. John was married to Rosemary Cascaden, Nov. 6, 1982 in Colorado. John and Rosemary resided in Creede, Colo.; Prescott, Ariz. and St Johns, Mich.
John served in the United States Army during the Korean War and was awarded the Purple Heart for his service. John worked most of his career at Ford Motor Company, retiring in 1982. John was one of the modelers on the original Ford Mustang. After retiring from Ford, John worked at C&C Automotive Specialties until 2005.
John was a kind and loving individual. He was strong-willed and compassionate at the same time. Thoughtful, prayerful and generous to the people he loved. John loved the outdoors and was a volunteer Boy Scout leader for many years. Truly a talented and skilled individual, he loved hand-crafted projects and was especially skilled at woodworking. His personal faith was important to him, a committed church member and a strong supporter of the work of the Salvation Army.
He is survived by his wife Rosemary Cecil of St. Johns, Mich.; daughter Beth Cecil-Hanna of Detroit, Mich.; son Brad and Suely Cecil of Ft. Worth, Texas; son Brian Cecil of Wheatridge, Colo.; daughter Laura and David Detloff of Naples, Fla.; step-daughter Gail and Bob Brown of St. Johns, Mich.; step-daughter Judy Mann of St. Johns, Mich.; step-son Chuck and Nancy Cascaden of Commerce Charter Twp, Mich.; 20 grandchildren; 41 great-grandchildren and one great-great-granddaughter. John was preceded in death by his parents; stepson Richard Cascaden; brother Bob Cecil; son Scott Cecil and Carol Cecil.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Salvation Army. Online condolences can be sent to www.smithfamilyfuneralhomes.com. A memorial service will be held June 3, 2017 in the Detroit area. Memorial service details will be posted on this site. The family is being served by Smith Family Funeral Homes – Osgood Chapel, St. Johns, Mich.