Jesse James “JJ” Lozano passed away on July 23, 2015, in San Diego, Calif., after a long battle with diabetes. He was the beloved husband of 31 years to the late Beverly Mae Lozano (Bev), the caring mother of James Lambeth of Bremerton and Lynn Dyke of San Antonio, Texas. JJ and Beverly were also grandparents of Robert Guillen, Megan and Henry Dyke; and great-grandparents of Keegan Guillen.
JJ and Bev were long-time residents of Oak Harbor. Jesse was born July 27, 1928, to Rito Lozano and Trinada Suarez of Chihuahua, Mexico.
He was preceded in death by his siblings, Mary Ellen Carrasco (d. April 2007) of San Diego, Calif., Ernest Joseph Lozano (d. April 2000) of Chula Vista, Calif., and Ray A. Lozano (d. November 2009) of Everett. He is survived by his brother Manuel Edrice Lozano, 83, of San Diego, Calif., and a host of loving nieces and nephews.
JJ was born and raised at 401 SW 10th St in Oklahoma City, Okla. He attended St. Josephs in Bethany, Okla. starting in 1933. Afterward, he proudly served in the United States Navy for 30 years, attaining the rank of chief petty officer. He was the veteran of three wartime eras: World War II, the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War. The campaigns and duty stations he participated in include: Aleutian Island Campaign 1943; USS Manchester (CL-83) (TF)77; USS Leonard Mason (DD-852) (TF)85; USS Uvalde (AKA-88) Shuttle Operations; USS Taluga (AO-62) Operation Passage to Freedom Haiphong to Saigon; Naval Air Station Atlantic City, NJ (NASAC1); USS Valley Forge (LPH-8) mission in the Far East with the US Seventh Fleet Amphibious Ready Task Group; USS Rowan (DD-782) operating often along the Vietnamese coast/Western Pacific.
Before moving to Oak Harbor, Jesse received orders to train new recruits at Naval Training Center San Diego, Calif. (TDE-1/TFFG-1). His final duty station was the Naval Air Station Whidbey Island fire department, where he retired after 30 years of naval service. Bev and JJ were married on Oct. 31, 1980 at the Chief Petty Officers Club on NAS Whidbey Island.
Uncle JJ was an avid hunter and carpenter, and spent many weekends with Bev enjoying breakfast at the NAS Whidbey Island CPO Club.
A memorial service may be held in the future, at a date and location to be determined.
JJ spent his last few months in San Diego well-cared for by family. I heard his ashes will be sprinkled in the mountains of San Diego, Calif. In my heart they are laughing over a sea story, living life to the fullest at the CPO Club. We miss them deeply. A memorial fund has been set up at the NAS Whidbey Island Retired Chief Petty Officers Association. Memorial donations can be mailed to:
The Retired Chief Petty Officers Association, P.O. Box 491, Oak Harbor, WA 98277, Attn: Bud Betz, President. Donations should be designated to the “In Memory of Jesse Lozano” fund.
