John McQuilliam

John Sylvester McQuilliam passed away on Thursday August 28, 2025.

Born April 1, 1940, in Watonga, OK., he was the son of Carl A. V. McQuilliam and Eunice Wheeler.

John spent his younger years raised on a farm in Oklahoma by his grandparents. At the age of 17 John joined the Air Force and was able to travel the country during his enlistment. During his time in the Airforce John met the love of his life Fern Bonnie Gill and they married in September 1958. John and Fern had three wonderful Children, Cheri Lynn, Johnnie Duane, and Tammy Sue. After living in Grand Prairie Texas, Tucson Arizona, John and Fern settled in El Paso Texas. John loved the desert and the dry heat. John was resolute father and family man and took immense pride in providing a safe Christian home for his family.

John was an outgoing individual and because of his ability to communicate, settled into a career in sales. John supported his family by traveling and selling Material Handling Equipment to various customers throughout our west Texas and New Mexico while working for El Paso Saw and belting and eventually Gorman Brothers. John decided to start his own business in 1983 and successfully ran Material Handling Equipment company for the remainder of his career.

John like to spend his spare time with his family. One of the family’s favorite past times was camping. Every summer the McQuilliam family would take adventures and travel to various national parks and camping areas through the western US. When John became a grandfather, he would park a camping trailer at the Silvers Springs campground in Cloudcroft New Mexico and many summer weekends were spent in the cool dry climate of the Arapahoe forest spending time fishing hiking and of course taking naps outside. Many of those times were spent with his children and grandchildren.

John and his wife Fern were very artistic. John enjoyed woodworking and supporting Fern in her crafting endeavors. John and Fern would travel around Texas and New Mexico attending crafts fairs on the weekends. These were great getaways for the family and many great memories were made of these trips.

In 2001, John and his wife Fern relocated from El Paso Texas to the Kerrville area and began their retirement. They found a piece of land in Harper Texas and proceeded to begin their golden years. John and Fern took the raw land and made it their home. John was a handyman at heart and took immense pride in developing their piece of paradise in the Texas Hill Country.

John was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Fern and daughter, Cheri; and son, Duane; sisters, Teresa Thomas and Sandra Montoya.

 Surviving family members are his brother, Carl McQuilliam, sister, Linda Castleberry, and stepmother, Polly McQuilliam. Survivors are his daughter Tammy Cummings and son-in-law, Jim Cummings his grandchildren, Ryan, Kacie, and Craig Cummings.

Services with military honors will be held 1:15 PM, Tuesday, September 23, 2025 at the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio.

Services with integrity, pride, and honor are under the direction of Kerrville Funeral Home.