John Morris Guest

John Morris Guest, Yellow Springs, Ohio native, passed away on April 25, 2026, in Olympia, Washington just before his 79th birthday. He was a proud member of the YSHS Class of 1965 and returned often to Yellow Springs for the class’s reunions.

He was born in Springfield, Ohio May 24, 1947, the son of Echo (Cordell) and Elvin (“Mace”) Guest. John served his country honorably as a Gunner’s Mate in the US Navy from 1974 to 1978 before becoming a machinist with the US Navy Civil Service, working on submarines docked at Mare Island in Vallejo, CA. He also worked as an assembler at BOMAG Springfield before earning his Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Development at Antioch College in 1991. After receiving his degree, he was a dedicated counselor and care provider for clients at Towards Independence and DayMont West in Xenia and Dayton. A medical issue, latent since John’s childhood, also flared up during the 1990s, causing John severe headaches and requiring numerous but ultimately ineective surgeries. Though he experienced debilitating head pain the rest of his life, he learned to deal with it with a wry sense of humor and would respond with his unique laugh and “I’m still here” when asked how he was doing.

John married his former classmate Ellen Holster in 1986. His beloved daughter Rebecca was born in 1987 and resides in Eugene, Oregon along with his granddaughter Abigail. John is also survived by his stepson, Benjamin Crandall, Yellow Springs, and many other Cordell family members living across the country. John’s younger brother Robbie preceded him in death as well as his parents.

John had a passion for cars (he prized his Fiero) and enjoyed model trains, building with Legos and collecting coins and watches, a reflection of his diverse interests and keen eye for detail. Denny’s for breakfast was a lifetime love.

He will be missed greatly by his family and the friends he made while living in Olympia.

A graveside service will be held at 10:00am on Saturday, June 20, 2026 at the Glen Forest Cemetery in Yellow Springs.