John Paul Dallas, born June 6, 1918 in Dunsmuir, Calif. to Eli Dallas and Auta Pearl (McWhinney) Dallas, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2013 at his home in Medford, Ore. He was 94.

He spent his youth in Redding, Calif., graduating from Shasta High School in 1936. He attended Chico State College when the student population was 600. He knew many of them through his musical talents, clarinet; and track, where he held the 440-dash record for 19 years. He transferred to UC Berkeley, and while a member of the UCB Marching Band, paraded across the San Francisco Bay Bridge when it was opened for the World’s Fair in 1939.

He served with the Air Force Signal Corps in World War II and was stationed in the Philippines, New Guinea and Japan. He returned from the war to Brentwood with his wife, Virginia (Prewett) Dallas, who was part of the longtime farming family headed by E.A.H. Prewett and Ed Prewett.

They raised three children and he worked for Ranch Supply Services/Oxychem for 33 years. He was active in the Lions Club, PTA and school board. He was selected Parent of the Year in 1973 for his many years of service to the Brentwood schools. He then married Barbara (Beeler) Goselin in 1981 and moved to Walnut Creek. They moved to the Applegate Valley, Ore. in 1989.

He continued his skills of being able to fix anything, fishing, and sipping lattes at Starbucks. He loved playing practical jokes, and his storytelling talents will be missed by his wife, Barbara Dallas; his children, Joy King (Dan) of Chandler, Ariz., Brian Dallas (Karen) of Bakersfield, and Gail Garnas (Richard) of Tacoma, Wash.; and his stepchildren, Geoffrey Goselin (Melinda) of Martinez, Bradford Goselin of South Lake Tahoe, Bethany Goselin McCoy of Martinez, and Garth Goselin of Lincoln; plus his loving grandchildren and great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

He is predeceased by his parents, sister Frances, twin sister Pauline (Dallas) Balma, and former wife Virginia (Prewett) Dallas. No services are planned. Memorials may be made to the Brentwood School District, 255 Guthrie Lane, Brentwood, CA 94513, or the Humane Society.

He will be remembered for his sense of humor and the twinkle in his eye. He departs this life the way he lived it: with grace, dignity and humor. Please visit his namesake bench on California Street in Jacksonville, Ore.