John W Hyatt was born in South Bend, Indiana on April 25, 1924 to Orval and Orpha (DeLong) Hyatt. After graduating from Hesperia High School in Michigan, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps in November 1943. As a B-17 pilot John flew 35 bombing missions over Germany and France with the 385th Bomb Group of the Eighth Air Force. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and air medals for his service.

He owned and operated Wolf Lake Bus Line in Wolf Lake, MI for 23 years. Then moved to Grand Canyon, AZ where he was employed for 25 years and retired as Senior Vice President from AMFAC Hotels and Resorts (Fred Harvey). John was then a school bus driver for seven years for the Flagstaff Unified School District.

John is survived by his companion of 20 years, Betty Peck, Flagstaff, AZ, and his five children: John C. Hyatt, Mundelein, IL; Richard O. (Annette) Hyatt, Spring Lake, MI; Marie G. Boese, Elizabeth, CO; Loretta B. (James) Alvarez, Tucson, AZ; Andrew A. (Gandalf) Hyatt, Berlin, Germany. Three sisters: Mary Mae Banwell, Muskegon, MI; Addalea (Jim02/18/2017) Johnson, Spring Lake, MI; Norma K Hyatt, Grand Haven, MI. Four grandchildren and two great grandchildren.