John Michael Scanlan

John M. Scanlan of Hilton Head Island, S.C. passed away peacefully on October 12, 2025 from complications due to diabetes.

John was preceded in death by his parents John T. (Jack) and Dorothy J. Scanlan of Stoutsville, Ohio and nephew Jake Scanlan of North Potomac, MD.  He is survived by his siblings Jerry (Janet) of North Potomac, MD; Joseph (Minnie Cho) of New York, NY Jeffrey of Baton Rouge, LA; Kathleen Cardwell (David) of Cincinnati, OH; Michael of Maysville, KY: Greg (Bradley Althoff) of St. Paul, MN; and Steve (Nicole Yandell) of Athens, OH; and a nephew and multiple nieces whom he lovingly adored.

A beloved son, brother, and uncle, and loyal friend to many, John was born in Columbus, OH on August 8,1959 and grew up in Stoutsville.  After graduating from Logan Elm High School in Circleville, OH John attended The Ohio State University and the Naval Academy Prep School for one year each before persevering in achieving his goal of attending the United States Naval Academy. He graduated in 1983 with the commission of second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps.

John was on active duty in service to his country for twenty years until his retirement at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 2002.  His last duty of service was with Marine Aircraft Group 31 based at Marine Corps Air Station, Beaufort, SC.  He had a decorated career as a Weapons Tactics Instructor and Marine aviator on the F/A-18D Hornet as a Weapons Sensor Operator with deployments taking him around the world, including the Persian Gulf War and Operation Deny Flight during the Balkan War. His commendations included the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and a NATO Medal among others.

In his retirement, John lived life to the fullest.  A devout Catholic and man of great faith, he was a parishioner at St. Francis by the Sea in Hilton Head and an active member of the Knights of Columbus Council.  He served as Grand Knight for his council and for many years was a fixture of the organization in heading up its annual shrimp boil.

John loved the outdoors, taking annual hiking and cycling trips to state and national parks throughout the country along with numerous adventures on Rails to Trails passageways.  He was meticulous in his planning, literally drawing out his maps and logging his journeys via film and a daily journal he kept religiously for decades.  Closer to home he could be found in his kayak or as an active volunteer with the Dolphin Project, an organization devoted to conservation of the bottlenose dolphin and the ecosystem they share with us.  He participated in many surveys the organization has taken of the dolphin population.

Much of this love of the outdoors harkens back to his youth and growing up in the country on what he has described as an idyllic setting that included a pond to fish in, swim in, or play hockey on, a woods and creek to romp in, a yard plenty big enough for baseball, hills to sled on, and miles of country roads to cycle on.

His life as a Marine and his childhood rearing also served as the muse for John’s foray into writing in his retirement.  He is the author of two books (Speed Is Life, More Is Better [2004] and Dink-Gadink [2005]) along with stories published in multiple volumes of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series and articles in Good Old Days magazine.

John had a gentle humility and an infectious laugh that paired well with his sense of humor and engaging personality.  He died never having owned a cell phone and with film still in his point and shoot camera he took everywhere.  Despite his passing he leaves countless smiling faces recalling the many stories he has shared.  The fond memories will linger long past his days on this earth.

A Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Friday, October 17 at 10:00 am at St. Francis by the Sea on Hilton Head Island.  Visitation will be Thursday, October 16 from 4:00 to 6:00 pm at Island Funeral Home.  In keeping with John’s wishes, the family is currently taking steps for a burial at Arlington National Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in John’s honor to The Dolphin Project (https://thedolphinproject.org/), the Rails to Trails Conservancy (https://www.railstotrails.org/), or the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (https://www.nmcrs.org/).