John was a veteran of WWI from August of 1918 to July of 1919. and settled with Helen in Altoona, Pa. He died in a work accident while working as a steel worker for Moyer Brothers, during the contrcution of theatre building at 1116 Eleventh Avenue. John was positioned on the east wall of the structure and was helping to manuever a 3 1/2 ton I-Beam, when it fouled against the wall and the hoisting cable disengaged. The edge of the beam struck John on the right side of his head, severely fracturing his skull, and throwing him into the basement area ten feet below. John had been engaged in the structural steel work for six weeks and prior to that was operating a gas service station.