John W. Nesbitt

John W. Nesbitt lived the dream – the American dream of his generation. Born in Terhune, Indiana on January 17, 1924, John’s early life was punctuated with hard work on his family’s farm. One of 11 children born to Earl and Anna (McCoskey) Nesbitt, John developed a strong work ethic and devotion to family that would carry him through the next 90 years.After graduating from Sheridan High School in 1943, John was drafted into the U.S. Army to join the millions of other Americans fighting in Europe during WWII. After serving for 12 months with the 9th U.S. Army, 1477th Engineer Maintenance Company, and battling in a variety of military campaigns, including the Battle of the Bulge, John was sent to the Philippines for the remaining six months of his military service. During that time, while on a ship bound for Japan, his company was informed that the atomic bombs dropped in Hiroshima and Nagasaki had ended the War. For his service in the European, African and Middle Eastern theater, John was awarded the Bronze Service Star. Like many of his generation, John was reticent to talk about his experiences during the War. While he proudly served in the world’s fight for freedom, he was eager to begin the next chapter of his young life. After returning home to Boone County, John leveraged the engineering skills he learned in the military and attended Purdue University, studying drafting. In 1955, he began working for Allison Transmission in Indianapolis. He would devote the next 30 years of his career as a draftsman/checker, designing transmissions for many Detroit Diesel Allison products, including a transmission for the M1 Abrams Tank that would make its mark during the 1990 Operation Desert Storm campaign in the Middle East. While John’s commitment to his country and career were evidence of his deep sense of duty, the true measure of this good man was his deep devotion to his family. In the late 1950s, John met Doris Irene Williams, who would honor him by agreeing to be his wife on April 4, 1959. In the next few years, John and Irene were blessed with two children, Robin and John. Those who knew John would say that the great joy of his life was earning the love of his wife, Irene, and spending time with his children. He enjoyed participating in their activities and sharing with them his love of sports. As his children grew into adults, John was happy to expand the family with Robin’s spouse, Jim Bartel, and John’s spouse Becky. John and Irene have also enjoyed two grandchildren - a grandson, J.D. Nesbitt and his spouse, Dave Giltner, as well as a granddaughter, Emma Nesbitt. For more than 55 years, John and Irene have lived and loved and found joy in family, friends, and in each other.As a boy working on his parents’ farm, John dreamed of what his future would bring. He thought of a rewarding career, a comfortable home, a loving wife, healthy children, and a future grounded in duty, commitment and family. While his early life was marked by the challenges of the time – struggling during the Great Depression and fighting on the battlefields of Europe, John’s adulthood and later life were filled with purpose, love and family – defining the achievement of his American dream.John was preceded in death by his parents, Earl and Anna Desiree (McCoskey) Nesbitt and his siblings, James Nesbitt, Harold Nesbitt, Charles Nesbitt, Vaughn Nesbitt, May Nesbitt, Violet Nesbitt, and Roseanna (Nesbitt) Hawkins. Surviving are John’s loving wife, Doris Irene (Williams) Nesbitt; daughter, Robin (Nesbitt) Bartel; son, John D. Nesbitt; grandchildren, J.D. Nesbitt and Emma Nesbitt. Also surviving are John’s siblings, Earl Nesbitt, Frank Nesbitt, and Joan (Nesbitt) Stephens.Funeral services will be held at Myers Mortuary in Lebanon on Wednesday, April 30, 2014 at 11:00 a.m., with Rev. Lynda Smith officiating. Friends and family may also call during visitation at 9:00 a.m. until the time of the service on Wednesday, April 30, 2014 at Myers Mortuary in Lebanon. Entombment with military rites will follow at Lincoln Memory Gardens in Boone County, Indiana.

John W. Nesbitt

April 27, 2014