John Frederick Lishman England

June 04, 1936 ‐ July 17, 2022

John England passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, on July 17, 2022, at the Ames Family Hospice House in Westlake, Ohio, at the age of 86. John was preceded in death by his loving wife, Christine (Gillan). John is remembered lovingly by his daughter, Susan Abraham (England), and her husband Alan, son Robert, and his wife, Karen (Powel). His grandchildren, Claire Wirtanen (Abraham) and her husband Jay, Annie Abraham, Christopher Abraham, Evan England, and Alex England, continue to uphold his memory. He is also remembered by his niece and nephew Geraldine and David Ray and his “adopted” niece, Auditi Guha. He joins his sister, Josephine England (deceased), and mother and father, Jessie and William England (both deceased).

John was born June 4, 1936, to Jessie and William England in Greenfield, England, where he and his sister enjoyed a happy childhood. While in school, his friends nicknamed him “St. George,” based on his dedication to hard work and he became known as George by his wife, friends, and family. He earned an engineering degree from Manchester University, and he went to work for a large record player company, rising to the rank of factory manager by the age of twenty-eight.   In 1959, John met Christine at a party of mutual friends, and they married on July 7, 1962. In the next few years, they added two children to the family, Susan and Robert, and moved from England to Scotland and back to England. In 1975 an American company made John an enticing offer to manage a turntable factory in Benton Harbor, Michigan. The family embraced the new life in America and what was supposed to be a “five-year experiment” turned into a permanent life in an exciting new country. In 1983 John went to work for the Kirby Vacuum Cleaner Company in Cleveland, Ohio, and eventually became the Vice President of International Sales, where he spent the remainder of his career.

In retirement, John supported Christine’s art career and became a master framer. He served as president of the local Rotary Club, loved to travel, was fascinated by politics and economics, and enjoyed watching and playing tennis. He loved his Bay Village home and spent as much time with his family as possible, and planned many memorable family vacations for his children and grandchildren. John had a sharp wit, always enjoyed learning, and especially loved a good debate. He appreciated life, was generous in every way, and is already greatly missed by his family. John’s family will hold a private service to commemorate and celebrate his life at Evergreen Cemetery in Westlake, Ohio.

Donations can be made in John’s memory to:

Lakewood Rocky River Rotary Foundation

PO Box 770916

Lakewood, Ohio 44107

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