John Ernest Easton

June 6, 1958 – September 11, 2016

John Easton, 58, collapsed and died unexpectedly from cardiac arrest while mountain biking in the Santa Cruz Mountains of Northern California on September 11, 2016.

John was born in Los Angeles, CA, to Edward and Juliana (née Johnson) Easton and grew up in Hacienda Heights, CA. He always had an adventurous nature and displayed it in his youth through motocross racing and a fascination with high performance cars. John earned his bachelor’s degree in mathematics from UCLA, where he also met his spouse, Marian.

After college, John worked as a computer software engineer in the aerospace industry. He later started his own consulting company and then worked for Silicon Valley tech companies on various cutting-edge projects. John’s prodigious problem-solving skills allowed him to design and develop ground-breaking computer code, and he held several patents for these innovations.

John and Marian moved to Vashon in 1992 and had two sons, Robert and Franklin. The Pacific Northwest opened opportunities for John to satisfy his thirst for adventure with activities suited for his level of athleticism. He took up whitewater kayaking and explored most of the rivers in the area. More recently, John became an avid bicyclist and would bike-commute, as well as compete in downhill races, trials competition and mountain bike trail rides. He usually had a stable of six bicycles, each perfectly designed for its particular style of riding.

John was driven to excel and he pushed himself and those around him to achieve more. Everyone who knew John was a better person for having known him.

John is survived by his wife Marian and son Franklin both of Vashon; sister Julianne Maki (Mark) of Walnut, CA; brother Jim (Valerie) of Rancho Cordova, CA; and many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews scattered across the country. John was preceded in death by his parents and by his son Robert.

A memorial service will be held for John on Sunday, September 25, in Santa Cruz, CA, in a redwood grove near the location of his death. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz, “In remembrance of John Easton,” P.O. Box 331, Santa Cruz, CA 95061-0331.