During their ten years of marriage John completed his education at Southwestern State College in Weatherford, Oklahoma, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master's Degree in Teaching. After their divorce he and Barbara remained friends and she became part of his extended family celebrating many holidays and backyard bar-be-cues together.
For the next fourteen years he dated and then married Harriet Berton who died of cancer in 1982. Shortly after, and for 31 years, John and Cathy Siegel became a permanent twosome. John began teaching in 1958 at Hanford High School where he was recruited to coach football and golf, and to teach physical education. John worked as an official in basketball for 27 years, football for 13 years, baseball for 10 years, and volleyball for six years before retiring from officiating. He was inducted into the Kings and Tulare Counties Sports Officials Hall of Fame in 1995.
He also taught drivers training classes for many years. John retired from teaching in 1993 after a 35 year career. John loved teaching and always wanted to be a teacher. He was considered a "professional athlete" in the sense that he was talented in all sports and had a real passion for playing. He inspired his students and motivated them by challenging them to beat him in any game. He would take on a volleyball team of six guys saying that if they could beat him he would give them all an A in P.E. He would challenge others one-on-one in badminton and racquetball for the same reward. But John was "the king" and beat them all.
When he wasn't teaching John went often to Avila Beach and Royal Oaks camping or traveling in his motor home. He liked being outdoors. He spent a good deal of his time at Kings Athletic Club. John had a generous heart, a good nature, and a fun-loving spirit. He never judged others and was always willing to give anyone he met a second chance.
John is preceded in death by his mother, Gertrude Southall, his father John Robert Jennings, his brother Eddie Bob Jennings and his aunt and uncle, Velma and Homer Shotts, who raised him. He is survived by his companion Cathy, his daughters Melanie and Teresa and son-in-law Greg Inchauspe and by his grandchildren Sarah Ramirez and husband Johnny, Dereck Marsh, Brenden, Jeremy, and Neal Inchauspe, and by his great-grandchildren Alyssa and Hailee Guerra, Johnny Ramirez, and Harlee Marsh. They all call him grandpa. He is known as Poppy John by his extended family Billy Siegel, wife Natalie and their twins Lyla and Cooper, Lori Siegel Steffen and her children Darcy Steffen and Jake Skelley.
A graveside service was held Saturday at the Lemoore Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorial gifts may be made to God's Bread Box, 740 N. 19th Ave. in Lemoore or to the donor's favorite local charity