John NcCandless

The Rev. John Oliver McCandless passed away Friday at his home in Rosewood Gardens, Livermore, Calif., following a five-month battle with brain cancer. Formerly, he lived in Butler County.

He was born Aug. 27, 1926, to Jennings C. McCandless and Goldie Ruth (Walters) McCandless on the Hermitage Farm near Unionville. His elementary education was received at the Unionville School. He graduated from Butler High School in 1944 and from Slippery Rock State Teacher's College in 1949. He proceeded to teach fifth and sixth grades at the Portersville Town School from 1949 to 1950.

He met Elaine Shannon in college. They married on Aug. 17, 1951, and have remained together ever since.

John was ordained as a Presbyterian clergyman on June 11, 1953, in the Unionville Presbyterian Church, following his graduation from the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary. He received his first call to the McIntosh, Wautaga, Morristown Parish in South Dakota. Subsequently, he was a pastor at the First Presbyterian Church in Grand Rapids, Ohio, the Warren Avenue Presbyterian Church in Saginaw, Mich., the First Presbyterian Church in Jonesville, Mich., the First Presbyterian Church in Martinsville, Ind., the First Presbyterian Church in Akron, Colo., and the Community Presbyterian Church in Cedar City, Utah.

Though he retired in Cedar City after 38½ years of full-time service, it wasn't enough. He did stints as interim pastor in such exotic locales as Pinewood Springs, Colo., Wrangel, Alaska, and then Craig, Alaska, on Prince of Wales Island, before retiring for good in August 1995. The Cedar City church awarded him pastor emeritus status in May 1996. To be close to family, they moved to Livermore, Calif., in 1999.

John served on numerous civic organizations and boards including Lion's Club, Kiwanis Club, YMCA, Iron County Care and Share, and Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America. His favorite hobbies included reading, hiking, traveling, tennis and bowling.

He is survived by his wife, Elaine; sons, Mark of New Orleans, La., David of Wrangel, Alaska, Paul of Livermore, Calif., and Tim in Spokane, Wash.; daughter, Marjorie of Concord, N.H.; their spouses; and 10 precious grandchildren.

Preceding him in death were two brothers, Coulter McCandless and the Rev. Ralph McCandless; one sister, Helen Alberta McCandless; and his parents.

MCCANDLESS — A memorial service for the Rev. John Oliver McCandless, who passed away Friday, July 27, 2012, will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at the First Presbyterian Church, Livermore, Calif.In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift to the memorial fund of the First Presbyterian Church, 2020 Fifth St., Livermore, CA 94550.