John Hornbecker

John Weir Hornbecker of Denver, Colorado passed away August 31, 2022, at the age of 96. He was born July 21, 1926 in Waterbury Connecticut to Martha Weir Hornbecker and John Theodore Hornbecker.  John grew up in Middlebury Connecticut where he had a paper route and rode his bike everywhere.  He attended High School at Crosby High School where he participated in football, swimming, and tennis. He was the Program Chairman for Math Club, Science Club, and the football team. He was an Eagle Scout as well.

John joined the Navy after High School at the age of 17 in 1944.  He was sent to Chapel Hill North Carolina University to train for the Navy Air Corp.  He left the Navy after the war ended in 1945.  He attended Cornell University in Ithaca, New York studying electrical engineering.  He later graduated from University of Colorado Boulder with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.

He worked for Denver Fire Clay Company while going to school and after graduating. He entered into partnership with David Rice at Fluid Systems and later started his own company, Fluid Engineering.

John was a member of Christ the King Lutheran Church. He was an avid tennis player playing out of the Denver Tennis Club and Pinehurst Country Club.  In 1989, John and his doubles partner, Warren Foltz,  earned a Colorado Tennis Association ranking of First in Men’s 60 Doubles.

John passed peacefully at home.  He is preceded in death by his parents John T. and Martha W. Hornbecker and his brother Richard Hornbecker. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Kathryn Booth Hornbecker, and their daughter June Hornbecker-McDowell, John’s children Donald (Gloria) Hornbecker, David (Renee) Hornbecker and Diane Hornbecker, his grandchildren Ashley (Tyson) Johnston, Lindsay (Zac) Steinman, Peter Hornbecker, Zach (Kristy) Ault, and Courtney Mooty.  In addition, John had four great grandchildren, Boden Johnston, Wyatt Johnston, Briggs Ault and Jesus Weir Navarro, sister-in-law Jane Hornbecker and numerous nieces and nephews.

John will be buried in a private family ceremony at Fort Logan National Cemetery.

Please share memories of John and condolences with the family by signing the Tribute Wall. In lieu of flowers, please send memorial gifts to the American Macular Degeneration Foundation.