John Alvin Eglinton, Sr., age 77 of Hampshire, passed away on November 20, 2020 at Maury Regional Medical Center in Columbia after an extended illness.

John was born on June 20, 1943 in Wyandotte, Michigan and was preceded in death by his parents, Alvin Harold Eglinton (Ruth Fern Eglinton) and Marguerite Noblett Eglinton, and his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Jessie and Martha (Whitehead) James, Jr.

John was a veteran of the United States Navy where he was a torpedoman on the destroyer USS Noa. John was especially proud of his crew’s recovery of John Glenn on Friendship 7 when it splashed down after orbiting the earth. John was a precision tool maker owning a tool and die business where he worked with his son prior to his retirement. John worshipped with World Outreach Church in Murfreesboro and very recently surrendered to and accepted Christ.

John loved his family and is survived by his wife, Barbara Jeanette (James) Eglinton; his children, John Eglinton, Jr. and wife Karen, Deborah Elliott and husband Kirk, Melissa Collie and husband Jon, Amanda Edmonson and husband Kevin; grandchildren, Emily VanHook and husband Brice, Taylor Elliott, Claire Wells and husband Braden, William Edmonson, Jessie Eglinton and wife Olivia, Savanna Collie, Joseph Collie, Charlie Edmonson and Ava Edmonson; great grandchildren, Asher and Baker Eglinton; siblings, George Richard Eglinton of California, Sandra Miranda (Luiz), Larry Eglinton, Bill Good, Ron Good and a host of nieces, nephews and extended family of Arizona.

A private family service is being held. Honorary pallbearers will be the critical care nurses at Maury Regional Medical Center and John’s friends from Catheys Creek, the YMCA and his McDonald’s coffee club in Columbia.

At the family’s requests, in lieu of flowers memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, an organization endeared to John.

Williams Funeral Home & Crematory assisted the family with arrangements.