John Harmon Angel's Obituary
John H. Angel (“Papa John”) departed to be with his beloved wife of 67 years, Ruth, on February 11, 2017. Ruth preceded him in death just one week earlier, on February 2nd. Born in Cane River, North Carolina on March 17, 1919, to William and Sallie Angel, Harmon (as he was known in those days) was the youngest of 8 children, 4 boys and 4 girls. He grew up on the family farm, and played semi-pro baseball in Burnsville as a short stop. John was a life-long baseball fan, and his favorite team was the Chicago Cubs. One of the highlights of his life was in 2016 when the Cubs (finally!) won their first World Series Championship in 108 years. John graduated from Bald Creek School in North Carolina and left the family farm at 18 to join the Navy, where he served honorably for 22 years. After World War II he was stationed in San Diego, where he met Ruth Larabee, who had recently moved from Williamstown, Massachusetts. The two were married in 1949 and had one son, Ronald, in 1951. In 1963, John retired from the Navy. Not long after, he took a civil service job at the North Island Naval Air Station on Coronado Island, and he worked there until his retirement in 1981. Besides the Chicago Cubs, his other favorite sports teams were the Oakland Raiders and the North Carolina Tar Heels. John enjoyed fishing, gardening, and spending time with his family. His favorite pastime was vacationing in Las Vegas, and he and Ruth would travel there several times each year. Like Ruth, his pride and joy were his grandchildren, Glenn and Keith, and his great-grandchildren Faith, Jacoby, Cash, and Cammy. He is preceded in death by his parents, 4 sisters, 3 brothers, 6 nephews and 7 nieces. John leaves behind his son Ron, his daughter-in-law, Karen, his niece, Pearl McIntosh, his nephew, Fred McIntosh, and several great-nieces and nephews.
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