Obituary of John Loyless

John Loyless was born on May 25, 1936. A tragic auto accident took his life on July 27, 2023. John is survived by son Ronnie J. Loyless, daughter in-law Lisa Loyless, grandchildren Alyssa, Curtis, Cody, Angelina Loyless and his lifetime partner, James Panek.

John attended the then Chico State College from 1957 to 1963 earning a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees. In addition, John earned a Lifetime California Teaching Credential. He taught at Corning High school for 33 years, retiring in 1996. After retiring from the classroom, John became Director of Technology for Corning High school and held that position for 8 years, once again retiring in 2004. The students and staff respected and admired John for his positive attitude and willingness to help everyone when needed. This was always accompanied by his winning smile and jovial laugh. As a teacher, friend, and role model, John was revered by everyone at Corning High School. Many of his students became close friends as adults and have continued to show their love and support for “Mr. Loyless.”

Music was a significant part of John’s life. He played several instruments in dance bands as well as college and community events. He loved classical music, especially classical piano. Pipe organ music was also of great interest to John. He often attended recitals, workshops, concerts, and activities related to the pipe organ. Wherever John went home, car, radio, working at Butte Meadows he had music playing.

Being an avid gardener, John loved all things growing. He was often found in his greenhouse or small orchard. He attended many gardening workshops and regularly visited nurseries. His collection of orchids added great beauty to John’s home.

Butte Meadows was a haven for John. He was regularly seen on his tractor, cutting and stacking trees for rails and collecting underbrush for future burning.

He was President of the Butte Meadows/Jonesville Community Association for 9 years and President of the Lucas Ranch Property Owners Association for 15 years. He was a welcomed attendant at many community events. John enjoyed hosting frequent Appetizer Dinner parties and became known by many for that special event.

John was an expert at whatever he attempted. He was a skilled carpenter, electrician, painter, mechanic and roofer. At Butte Meadows, John extended the roofline to cover the porch and decks. He built a covered storage addition on to the garage, along with a storage area for tools. He was a thrifty man and enjoyed searching for the “right deal"on materials and tools for his projects. John was very generous with his time and expertise and enjoyed helping friends and family with their endeavors.

Always interested in flying, John became a licensed pilot while in college. He enjoyed many flying activities with close friends and with them, participated in numerous flying excursions for a number of years. He became a licensed ham radio operator and the combination of flying and ham radio provided John with additional outlets to enjoy.

John had a special place in his heart for all animals. He and his partner raised Arabian Horses and Doberman Pinschers at their farm on El Monte Avenue. He loved the one-to-one contact with both the dogs and horses. As a result, his devotion to the animals provided a beautiful exchange that enriched his life constantly. John could usually be seen with a Doberman in his car, and with him as a constant companion at Butte Meadows.

John was also a culinary expert. He prepared a full course dinner with dessert every night. His signature deviled egg plate, and artistically designed salads were well known and expected at social gatherings and special events. Much of his culinary fare came from recipes passed on from previous generations.

Family was very important to John. He was proud of the accomplishments of each family member, and was always available for guidance, acquisitions, and problem solving. When John’s son Ron was a young boy, he and John, along with Ron’s young friends, enjoyed fishing, camping, hiking and backpacking, and in the winter months, skiing. John was very generous, highly regarded and loved by his family.

John will be missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him. His effervescent smile and his gracious attitude toward everyone he knew will be everlasting. At his request, there will be no service for John. A celebration of life will be held at a later date.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of John Loyless, please visit Tribute Store