John DeBorde, Jr., 93, of Severna Park, MD passed away peacefully in his sleep at home after a three-month battle recovering from pneumonia.

John was born March 28, 1929, to John and Armada (Wright) in Columbiana, Ohio and was raised in Sidney, Ohio. After graduating from Sidney High School in 1947, John joined the management training program at Copeland Corporation. Despite a bright future at Copeland, John enlisted in the US Army and reported to Fort Knox for Basic Training in 1948. Beginning with a train ride across the northern plains, John was deployed as part of the Allied Occupation of Japan and served in Tokyo guarding the Imperial Palace. In the summer of 1950, John was sent to Korea and served as a Forward Observer with the US 7th Calvary Regiment. In addition to Japan and Korea, John's 20-year Army career brought him overseas with assignments in Iran, Vietnam, and Germany. John served stateside at the US Army War College in Carlisle, PA as an ROTC instructor at Gettysburg College and Dickinson College, and at Fort Meade, MD, where he met Irene (Cwalina), whom he married in 1965.

With numerous decorations and commendation medals, John retired from the U.S. Army in 1968 as a Master Sargent. Upon retirement, John and Irene settled in Arnold, MD and had two daughters, Lisa (Avendt) and Janai (Gillin). John opened his professional photography studio in 1969. Photography by John DeBorde, Jr. provided professional portrait, wedding and commercial photography services throughout Maryland.

John returned to Fort Meade as a civilian in 1982 as a senior photographer and retired for a second time in 1997 to enjoy travelling with Irene, spending time with his grandchildren, and further pursuing his love of photography with a full embrace of its digital transformation from film.

John was predeceased by Irene, his wife of 53 years, in 2018, his mother Armada in 1937, father, John in 1981, who lived to be 100, his brother Arthur in 1999 and his sister Ada in 2011. John is survived by two daughters, Lisa Avendt (husband Timothy) and Janai Gillin, and five grandchildren: Anne Marie, Gabrielle, Lillian (Avendt), and Madison and Benjamin (Gillin).

A memorial visitation will be held on Friday, June 10, 2022, from 12-2pm and 4-6pm at Barranco Severna Park Funeral Home & Cremation Care, P.A., 495 Ritchie Hwy, Severna Park, MD 21146.  Family and friends may gather at a reception following the evening memorial ceremony at Libations restaurant in Millersville, MD.