John Locklin - Obituary

ohn Henry Locklin - October 19, 1940 — March 8, 2022 Born in Pittsburgh, PA, John grew up in Peters Township in Washington County, PA, later residing in Edgewater, MD. John was a life-long learner, an avid mariner, and thrived on thoughtful discussions of important ideas. After earning advanced degrees at Penn State University in meteorology, oceanography and computer science, he worked as an electrical engineer for the United States Navy, designing sonar systems that detected Soviet submarines all over the world. John was an active member of the Freemasons and achieved the rank of Master Mason. A true Locklin, John was also a lover of music. He played guitar and sang in Barbershop Quartets throughout his life. Chess games with him were always accompanied by classical music and soft jazz on the stereo. When he wasn’t flying his custom finger salute flag on the Chesapeake Bay, John could be found gardening, going on ‘expeditions’ with his daughters, eating crabs on his deck, or enjoying chocolate chip cookies next to a bonfire. More than anything, he treasured his family and his faith. John served as a trustee for the Mayo United Methodist Church and never missed a Sunday Bible Study. He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert Blackmer Locklin and Henriette Ralph Locklin, and his brother Robert Blackmer Locklin, Jr. He is survived by his wife, Joyce Bollo-Locklin; two daughters, Gwendolyn Church (Andrew) Wisniewski, and Julia Kempton Mikulla (Dirk, decd.); six grandchildren, Benjamin (Taylor), Mark (Colleen), Andrea (Bryan), Daniel (Paige), Aaron Hvizda and Mason Hvizda; great-grandchildren Elizabeth, Dillon and two more expected this year, two sisters, Jane L. Reimers, Margaret L. Groninger; a brother, Ralph Howard Locklin; and his two “noisemakers,” Maile and Lulu. Friends are invited to celebrate John’s life at the Kalas Funeral Home & Crematory, 2973 Solomons Island Rd., Edgewater, MD on Friday, March 11 from 3 to 5 pm, and at Mayo United Methodist Church, 1005 Old Turkey Point Rd, Edgewater, MD on Saturday, March 12 from 10 am until his funeral service begins at 11 am. A luncheon will be held afterward and is open to all. Donations in honor of John can be made to Mayo United Methodist Church. Please take a moment to leave a condolence for the family by visiting the Memories link on this page.