John Michael Chase

John Michael Chase passed Febreuary 20, 2026. He was born in the United States Naval Hospital in Canacao, Cavite, Philippine Islands at 1:25 PM on October 4, 1940.

His father, Donavan Ray Chase, was a Radioman 2nd Class who later became a Chief Petty Officer Permanent Assignment stationed at the Cavite radio intercept station at the time. His mother, Zadie Dorothy Maelzer Chase, and John left the Philippines about six weeks later on the USS United States Liner for the United States. They located at his grandfather's rented farm near Yakima, Washington, where they lived for about two years. His father was transferred to the intercept station near Pearl Harbor and, after the Japanese attack on December 7, 1941, he was transferred to Bremerton Naval Station near Seattle, Washington, where his mother and he relocated. He taught school for Naval personnel there to become proficient radio intercept operators. John's first memories were of having a tricycle and playing with a girl about two years older than him.

After WWII they relocated to Elko, Nevada, where his father was a communication specialist for the Elko Airport. He was in kindergarten in Elko and did not like school. One day he hid under the bed and his father was angry and spanked him with a belt. He learned his lesson and went to school. They moved around a lot in his youth, about twenty-six times before he graduated from high school at Arcata Union High School in Arcata, California, in 1959. He went to college at Humboldt State College for about two years. They had become members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1956 in Arcata. He had difficulty with mathematics in college and withdrew from school. He had just turned twenty-one years old.

He was active in church and had desires to serve a mission. He was interviewed by the Bishop who recommended him to the authorities at church headquarters. He was interviewed by Elder Theodore M. Burton, an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He received a letter from David O. McKay, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, on the 16th of November 1961 calling him to serve in the East Central States Mission. He served in Bowling Green and Thompkinsville, Kentucky, for a total of about nine months. Due to an altercation with his companion about the difficulty he had memorizing the discussions, he made the decision to leave the mission field, which he later regretted. About four weeks after arriving home, he received a draft notice from the Army, so he decided to enlist in the Air Force after passing their entrance exams.

After basic training at Lackland AFB, Texas, he was assigned to Aircraft Ground Equipment Repairman School at Chanute AFB, Illinois. He graduated in about six months and was assigned to the 408th Combat Support Squadron, Air Defense Command, Kingsley Field, Oregon. After about one year, he transferred to a new career field due to a ten percent hearing loss caused by jet aircraft flight line noise. He was assigned to Lowry AFB for Disaster Control Specialist training. This training was in chemical, biological, and radiological warfare. He was promoted to Airman First Class and was selected for a NORAD inspection team. He went to New York to help evaluate an ADC fighter base on Long Island, NY, for defense conditions under simulated nuclear fallout conditions. He left the Air Force in December 1966.

Carrie Jean Hawkins became his wife in June 1966. They relocated to Santa Rosa, California, then moved to Windsor, California. He worked for American Optical Corp manufacturing eyeglasses and AerOptics, where he learned to be an optician. Later he was employed by Optical Coating Laboratories.

Carrie and he had four children: Candace Renae Chase, Christine Liane Chase, Jennifer Mae Chase, and David Michael Chase. About eleven years into their marriage, they divorced. After a few months, he met and married Margaret Clair Leinninger. They were married about 23 years, during which time he worked for Optical Coating Laboratories, Inc. as a test technician; Hughes Aircraft Corp. as a quality engineer and production engineer; and Hoya Optics Corp. as a production engineer. He was laid off from Hoya Optics Corp. and went back to school to obtain an associate degree in AutoCAD drafting and circuit board design. He worked for Slaughterback Corp. for about seven years and, while with this company, suffered a severe back injury off the job. He was disabled and secured Social Security Disability at the age of 61. Because of a high school reunion for Margaret, she met her old high school sweetheart whom her parents had prevented her from marrying many years earlier. He thought nothing of it at the time, but about a year later divorced.

After counseling with his Bishop in the Seaside Ward in Seaside, California, he decided to go to St. George, Utah, and look for property. After arriving and staying with a friend, he found property within three days and closed the deal. After moving the rest of his belongings from Seaside, he started going to the temple on a regular basis and, after his divorce was final, he met a fine lady, Carma June Allred, after a temple session at a family home evening meeting. She said that she had Chases in her family history. They started dating and within about one year decided to get married. They were married on the 25th of June 2003 civilly in the St. George Temple. A little over six years later, on the 25th of September 2009, they were sealed in the St. George Temple.

She lived until the 3rd of March 2012, when she passed away from lung disease. It was the best marriage he had up to that point in his life.

While Carma was still alive, they were home teachers to Madeleine Carroll Anderson Bradshaw. Madeleine was concerned that she would never find a suitable husband, so he suggested that she receive a priesthood blessing. He laid his hands on her head and blessed her that if she would live worthily, someone would come into her life. Little did he know that someone would be him. That was the furthest thing from his mind at the time. About three months after Carma's passing, they were married for time and all eternity in the St. George Temple on the 23rd of June 2012. It was a good marriage but had its problems. About two years into the marriage, Madeleine developed colon cancer and was in chemotherapy treatment for about four years. She passed away on the 7th of September 2018.

Funeral services will be held Friday, March 6, at 11:00 AM at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1610 North Dixie Downs Road St. George, Utah 84770. A viewing will be held prior to the service at 9:30 AM. Interment will take place at the St. George City Cemetery.