John “Sean” Homan 1921-2021 ….
John “Sean” Homan 1921-2021
John “Sean” Homan was b o r n in Dublin, Ireland, nearly 100 years ago on Dec. 7, 1921. He passed away on Aug. 20, surrounded by his family and local priest who was also from Ireland. His journey has been remarkable and filled with many adventures, unwavering faith, and surprising twists and turns.
John was the middle child of five boys and one girl. He grew up playing soccer and loving all things physical. Throughout his life, his mantra was “keep moving.” He followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather and became a meat cutter.
When Sean met Maureen at a dance at the Crystal Ballroom in Dublin, it was love at first sight. As a young married couple with a family, times were tough in Ireland and Sean got the opportunity to emigrate to America. As Dad often said about California, “The streets were paved with gold!” And were they ever! The family arrived in California in 1960, the perfect time to take advantage of all the opportunities in the Golden State.
John worked as a butcher for Safeway for many years. He later became a state meat inspector, eventually moving on to be a USDA Federal meat inspector. A man of vision with a good head for business, he purchased several rental properties to ensure a comfortable retirement.
Dad taught us the value of money: give first to God, second to yourself by saving, and use the rest carefully. He always had a special savings account for travel, which he considered a necessity. While growing up, if we wanted to buy something extra, we would save half the money and then he would match it.
True to his Irish heritage, John never met a stranger and was loved by all who crossed his path. He had a kind word and a smile for everyone. On occasion, John would find himself in a dicey situation, but the way he treated people ensured that things always ended well and he had made a new friend.
Mom and Dad loved to travel and have been all over the world. They loved cruising and spending time in Hawaii, having visited the islands over 20 times. Dad returned to Ireland often and several of his brothers and other family members regularly visited us in California.
After retiring, John took up lawn bowling at Long Beach Recreation Park. With his athletic ability, he quickly became a favorite and won many trophies and championships. His picture is on the wall of fame at the Long Beach Bowling Club.
Dad’s charmed life included remarkably great health for well over 98 years, and he outlived all his siblings. He is survived by his wife of 69 years, Maureen, his son and daughter-in-law Barry and Anne Homan; daughter and son-in-law Gerri and Gary Mansdorfer; grandchildren Barry and Lisa Homan and Tori Overby; and great-grandchildren Tyler and Grace Homan. Oh, how we loved our dad and grandfather, and we will miss him immensely. Godspeed and enjoy your reward! - paid obituary
