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Obituary for John Patrick Tiernan
John Patrick Tiernan passed away on June 17, 2020 at his home in Gold Beach, Oregon, of chronic heart failure at 70 years old.
A singular individual, “Hippie John,” as he was known about town, was funny and formal, cranky and kind. Celebrated for his mechanical know-how, he fixed anything that had a motor until the computer age left him more or less stranded with outdated skills. He continued to work by helping out at the Christian Help Thrift repairing small appliances and souping up his wheelchariot for buzzing about when he could no longer drive. Few in Gold Beach can forget the year he brought his hand-crafted fiberglass flying saucer to the annual parade! He moved into the area in his 20s and never left, finding just the right mix of laid-back people and natural beauty. He even reconnected with a girl he knew from Costa Mesa, Barbara Barnhart, at the Tavern down on Hunter Creek! She survives him as does his younger brother, Peter, his sister-in-law Phyllis, her children, Dannette and Gary Winn, and his sister, Deborah Stucker. He touched many lives in the years he spent overlooking the Rogue River and the Pacific Ocean. He was generous with his knowledge and helped everyone he could to the best of his ability. No one like him will come our way again.
The Tiernan family wish to thank everyone at Coastal Home Health and Hospice for caring for him lovingly throughout his terminal illness. Please honor John by giving them your support. There will be a gathering at his home on Moore Street in Gold Beach on Sunday, July 19, at 3 p.m. for all who wish to join his family in celebrating John’s life and legacy.
