Col. John H Heslin

John H. Heslin passed away on Friday, April 7th, 2023. John was born in New York on April 5th, 1940. He moved with his family from NY to Chicago then to CA and settled in the Altadena area. He attended High School at Loyola High School and college at Loyola Marymount University. After graduating college in 1962, he married Mary Eilleen Osborne and now together, he joined the USAF and went to pilot training, then became a pilot, where he eventually flew C-124 Globemaster and C-141 Starlifter aircraft and became a Vietnam Veteran. After departing active-duty service in 1969, he settled in San Gabriel and later Arcadia, where he raised his family. He started his own business selling insurance, while at the same time, serving in the United States Air Force (USAF) Reserves at Norton Air Force Base (AFB) in San Bernardino CA. After serving many years, he became the Squadron Commander for the 729th (MAS), and thereafter, was promoted to full Colonel and became the Vice Wing Commander for the 63rd Military Airlift Wing (MAW). Eventually, he retired from the USAF and sold his insurance business to start working at McDonnel Douglas Aircraft in Long Beach CA as a Production Line Test Pilot for the MD-80/90 aircraft. He eventually became one of the first cadre of pilots to launch the new MD-11 aircraft, including all phases of flight test and training of pilots for its worldwide operations. In 1998, his wife Mary passed away and he later married Joyce Trout. In June of 2003, he retired from
McDonnel Douglas and then moved to Temecula CA where he spent his time enjoying playing golf and travelling. He became an active member in his golf community and golf association.

John is survived by his 2nd wife Joyce Heslin and his 3 children, sons John Jr., David and his daughter Peggy and their families. John has 12 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. John instilled deep family values in his family and left them with many wonderful memories of a loving person with faith, integrity, character and a love for life.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests that donations be made in honor of John to http://www.vets.org as this was near and dear to his heart and he was a long time supporter, or to https://www.aspca.org/ who has been supported by his loving wife, Joyce for many years.

Funeral arrangements were entrusted to England Family Mortuary, Inc.