John L. Kalish, 95, of Scottdale, formerly of Jones Mills, passed away at 3:15 p.m. Monday, Nov. 11, 2019, at Woodcrest Senior Living Estates, East Huntingdon Township.

John was born Aug. 16, 1924, in Smithton, a son of the late John A. and Josephine (Kotouch) Kalish.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his first wife of 44 years, Betty (Eiford) Kalish; his two brothers, Franklin and Edward (wife Patricia) Kalish; his sisters, Virginia Kalish, Margaret Beers (husband Edward), Lillian Layman (husband Alvin), Dorothy Smith (husband William), and Freda Rorke (husband Michael); and several nieces and nephews.

John will be sadly missed by his loving family: his two daughters, Pamela Kalish and Patricia Kaniuga and their families; his second wife, Marcene (Kemp) White; his stepson, Kevin White, and his step-daughter, Vicky White Showman, and their families; and numerous nieces and nephews.

John was a graduate of South Huntingdon High School. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Oklahoma State University and a master's degree in electrical engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology. He worked for a short time at U.S. Steel plants in Homestead and Donora.

A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, he flew 55 combat missions with the 15th Army Air Forces 99th Bomb Group out of Tortorella Air Field near Foggia, Italy, as a B-17 Navigator with targets in Northern Italy, Austria, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Romania, Yugoslavia, and Hungary. He had a break in military service, then was recalled to active duty and flew another 55 combat missions as a B-26 Navigator/Bombardier out of K-9 Air Base near Pusan, South Korea, with targets over North Korea. Other assignments included a B-29 Navigator and supply officer at the 308th bomb wing at Hunter AFB, Georgia, and a maintenance and aircraft loading officer for the first production Thermonuclear Fusion Bombs at a National Nuclear Weapons Depot. He was later assigned to the Weapons Development Branch at the AF Special Weapons Center at Kirkland AFB, New Mexico, as a project engineer in the development of later designed nuclear bombs. Another assignment was as chief of the Gyroscope Test Lab at the Central Inertial Guidance Test Facility at Holloman AFB, New Mexico, where they tested USAF and some NASA gyroscopes and ran some navigation/guidance system tests, including a test of a guidance assembly for the manned Lunar Excursion Module of the moon landing program. He retired from active military service as a Lt. Col., and his awards included the Distinguished Flying Cross with one oak leaf cluster, Air Medal with six oak leaf clusters, and the Air Force Commendation Medal.

He also worked as a civilian engineer at the navigation branch of the Aeronautical Systems Division at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, as an avionics and inertial navigation engineer in the development of several aircraft and cruise missile programs. John was a member of the AF Association, Military Officers Association, Donegal American Legion, VFW, and the Indian Head Church of God.

Personalized arrangements are under the professional supervision of the Robert B. Ferguson Funeral Home, 105 Spring St., Scottdale, 724- 887-5300 , www.fergusonfunerals.com . At John's request, there will be no viewing. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 23, in the Indian Head Church of God (a half-mile south of Indian Head on Route 711), with pastors Douglas Nolt and Ed Mikkelsen co-officiating.

Inurnment will be in the Cemetery of the Alleghenies, Bridgeville, along with his first wife, with full military honors.

Love lasts forever!