John Hutson Mahan, 81 of Sapulpa, passed away March 15th, 2023. John was born May 25th, 1941 in Pineville, Arkansas to John Walter Mahan and Thelma Louise Hutson, and the doctor arrived two days later to certify his birth. His mother later married his stepfather, Jack Whiteaker.
John began school in Calico Rock, Arkansas and moved to Sunnyside, Washington during elementary school. At 17 years of age he enlisted in the United States Navy with his mother’s permission serving from 1958 to 1967, where he was honorably discharged as a Machinist-Mate First Class. He served on many ships, but most proudly the Josephus Daniels at the time of her commission. While in the Navy he married Evelyn J. Hopkins in 1962 and had 2 sons, John “Johnny” Walter Mahan and Mark Darren Mahan.
While enlisted, John received his GED and would later go on to attend Tulsa Junior College in the fall of 1973 and graduate from Northeastern State University in the spring of 1976. After completing his education, he began interning with Bill Shaw and became a teacher at Sapulpa High School in the Industrial Arts Department, where he ultimately retired in 1996. During his tenure, Mr. Mahan was highly involved in the wrestling program, attending matches, workouts, and even participated in scouting.
On October 1st, 1971 he met Cheryl Ann Clevenger after hearing about her through his cousin. Their first official date was at the local fair and thereafter several more dates happened in the following weeks. The two married on January 7th, 1972 and they lived happily in love for 51 years, 2 months, and 8 days, raising his two children, Mark and Johnny.
His hobbies included golf (although it was a frustration), bass fishing, and training horses. He is preceded in death by his parents, his sister Alice Faye DeLay and stepbrother Bobby Bankston. He is also preceded by his beautiful grandson Hudson J Henry Mahan, who he will finally get to hold and love on.
John is survived by his wife Cheryl, His stepbrother Bill “Bud” Price, his sons John and Mark Mahan, and his incredible grandchildren Kelby and Townsend Mahan.
He will be remembered by many from his sayings like, “There’s no bones in ice cream.”, “Cut it twice and it’s still too short.”, and “Don’t tell me how to build a clock, just tell me what time it is.”
… But most importantly he will be cherished in our hearts as the best husband, a wonderful father, and the most amazing grandfather.
