John F. Lavelle … NEVER in a million years would I have ever imagined I’d be planning a funeral service for you at this point in our lives. You were so young with so much life to still live. With over 40 dedicated years of flying between USAF & American Airlines, it was finally going to be about YOU! You are the love of my life, my best friend, my other half (Peas & Carrots)! You are my rock, my go-to person, the person that I wanted to take on the world with, the person I took Sunday drives with after picking up our latte’s, the person I watched college football with, the person that l listened to country music with, the person I argued about the temperate in the house with, the person I sat with in our back yard while having a fire and shared a bottle of the amazing wine you just brought back, the person that helped me with ANYTHING I needed WHENEVER I needed. My island in the storm that always made things better. To say “I will miss you” is such a gross understatement.

 However, you weren’t just my husband, you were the catalyst to the beautiful family we built. The countless ways you helped Grace and Lauren grow and learn to become the wonderful people they are today. You taught them to read, ride bikes, helped with math homework, made them world travelers, went to every athletic & academic event (when you weren’t working), introduced them to so many different foods & cultures, your famous oatmeal and chili (not combined of course). Grace has your toes and Lauren has your stubbornness, but the most important thing, they are half you and half me….we pulled the best parts from both of us and created our precious daughters. They will forever be better people because of having you in their lives. On to our “3rd child”, Henry. The love and respect John had for him was so wonderful to witness. The talks about the military, USAF-vs-USNA, military academies, flying airplanes, engineering, travel, watching Browns games & Guardians games, all the laughs over family dinners, our annual holiday dinner at Chez Francois and finally our fabulous trip to Cannes, France. Again, I can’t express enough how much you will be missed.

Lastly, to know John was to love him. One of his best aspects, was his love & devotion to his family and friends. John had friends all over the world, his smile was contagious and people were instantly attracted to him. John didn’t lose friends, he kept growing his circle from St. Pats, St. Ignatius, John Carroll, USAF, American Airlines, Cleveland Premier Pickleball, YMCA pickleball, Eddies bike shop and on & on. Early after diagnosis, when we were spending a lot of time at the Taussig Cancer Center at the Cleveland Clinic, a phlebotomist gave John a beaded bracelet one day that had the word “tough” on it. She told him he was a very special person, she gave him a hug and wished us luck. Throughout this whole journey we met so many amazing wonderful people that truly gave their heart & sole in to helping John. I would like to thank everyone for all the support and love you all have given us for years, but especially the last 18 months. Johns diagnosis was devastating, yet so many people stepped up to be by our sides and help. There are no words to express my gratitude.

A memorial has been planned for John, details below: November 21, 2026

The Aviator Cleveland 20920 Brookpark Rd. Cleveland, OH 44135

12-3 pm Please RSVP to: https://evite.me/ZKg2wmfCX8

Captain John Lavelle, 66, beloved husband of Kelly (née Magovich); loving father of Grace and Lauren; devoted son of the late Frank J. and Bert Lavelle (née Rahotina); and loving brother of Patricia Butler, the late Kathryn Lavelle, James (Terrie), the late Mary, and Thomas (Kathy). He was a cherished uncle to his extended family and a friend to many.

John was raised in the Kamm's Corners area of Cleveland. He lost his sister and his father when he was nine and ten years old, and from an early age he developed a strong work ethic that helped him pay for his own education. He graduated from St. Ignatius High School, where he served as captain of the hockey team, then attended Miami University for two years before graduating from John Carroll University with a BS in Marketing. During his senior year at JCU, John applied for pilot slots with both the Youngstown USAF Reserve Unit (910th Tactical Airlift Squadron) and the United States Navy. He was accepted by both branches and chose the Air Force, attending Officer Training School at Lackland Air Force Base in 1983, Undergraduate Pilot Training at Laughlin Air Force Base in Del Rio, Texas, and C-130 training at Little Rock Air Force Base.

He went on to fly proudly for the Youngstown unit, where he absorbed the flying techniques passed down by senior pilots — many of them Vietnam veterans — and quickly upgraded to aircraft commander. A patriot who loved the C-130, its mission, and the professional men and women of the 910th, John left the unit in 1991 as a captain, and he remained friends with many he flew with during his years at the base.

While still flying C-130s, John applied to American Airlines and launched a commercial flying career that would span 40 years, 29 of them as captain. His two favorite aircraft bookended that career — the Boeing 727, which he flew first, and the Boeing 777, which he flew last. He also served as a check airman and was widely respected by the pilots and crew members he trained and flew alongside. Based out of New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) for the majority of his career, John found great satisfaction in the many colleagues he came to know throughout the American Airlines system. September 11, 2001 remained etched in his memory for the rest of his life — he was flying that day, and he lost several close friends and colleagues to the tragedy. Every anniversary that followed, he and his co-pilot, Walter Gordon, would call one another, honoring the bond they had forged together on that fateful day.

Yet his greatest joy was always his family. His loving wife and children brought him great happiness, and together they supported one another in all their endeavors. John took special delight in the academic and athletic achievements of Grace and Lauren at Rocky River High School. He was a true family man — when he wasn't flying, he could be found at his family's side, attending every school event he possibly could. John was also an excellent athlete, water skiing and playing golf and pickleball regularly on Cleveland's west side, and in cities around the world during his flying layovers. John will be missed but always loved and remembered as a skilled and devoted pilot, a loving family man, a proud patriot, a loyal friend, beloved son and brother and a thoughtful man who helped many along the way