John Douglas Shinnick

Colonel John D. Shinnick, USMC (ret.) 76, of Barnegat, NJ passed on Monday, May 21, 2018 in Red Bank, NJ surrounded by his loving family and life-long friends.
Born in New York City on May 20th, 1942 to Richard and Mary, he was the second of three children and is survived by his brother and sister both of whom provided tremendous support and encouragement during his three-year battle with pancreatic cancer.  Educated by the Christian Brothers De LaSalle, John was a “Brothers Boy” and proud graduate of Good Shepard Grammar School in the Inwood neighborhood of Manhattan and LaSalle Academy in the Bowery. Married in April 1962, he earned his B.A. from Hunter College the following year and accepted a commission in the Marine Corps in June of 1963 as a second lieutenant.

 Upon completion of The Basic School and flight training as a Naval Flight Officer and Radar Intercept Officer in the F4 Phantom, he was posted to the first of his 15 fighter, air control and headquarters squadrons. During an active duty career of more than 26 years, John flew with all four Marine Air Wings, accumulated more than 2000 hours, survived 250 missions over the skies of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia during his two combat tours and was known to all by his call sign - The Shindog – the Marine Corps finest fighter RIO.
Predeceased by his beloved wife of 54 years, Winifred (Winnie the Pooh) and with her vast help, infinite love and patience they raised five children while moving more than 20 times between New York, Virginia, North Carolina, California, Hawaii, Louisiana and Verona Italy.  After retiring in September 1989, John embarked on a second career with Ogden Allied, Dyn Corp and Fluor Daniel while Winne helped to raise their Virginia grandchildren before eventually settling on the Jersey Shore in Barnegat, NJ in 2004.  John was a daily communicant of St. Mary’s Parish, a regular long distance traveler, part-time fisherman and golfer and an active grandparent.

Winnie predeceased John in August 2016 and they are survived by their five children: John and his wife Catherine Shinnick of Warwick, Bermuda, Gregory and his wife Janet Shinnick of Shrewsbury NJ, Stephen and his wife Tara Shinnick of Clifton, VA, Christina and her husband John Salcedo of Little Silver, NJ and Elizabeth and her husband Michael Kearns of Scotch Plains, NJ; and his siblings: Richard Shinnick of Chevy Chase, MD, and Miriam Shinnick of Barnegat, NJ.  Also surviving are 14 loving grandchildren, and a veritable plethora of nieces and nephews.
A visitation will be held at John E. Day Funeral Home from 4-8PM on Thursday, May 24th.

A Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Friday, May 25th at the Church of the Nativity, Fair Haven at 11:30AM.

There will be a graveside service at Brigadier General William C. Doyle Veteran's Memorial Cemetery on Tuesday, May 29th at 10:30 AM.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in John’s name to 

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