John M. Cloninger, 91, of Rock Island, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, October 30, 2024 at UnityPoint Health – Trinity, Rock Island, following a brief illness.  Services will be private.  The burial will take place at Chippiannock Cemetery, Rock Island.  Memorials may be made in care of the Rock Island High School Boosters Club.  Arrangements are being handled by Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home and Crematory, Rock Island.

John was born on December 18,1932 at his grandparents' home in Mason City, Illinois, a son of Lee Roy and Edna Mulford Cloninger.  His childhood was spent in several rural communities in central Illinois.  He met Virginia Allen at Woodson High School and when that school closed, John went to Roodhouse High School, and Virginia went to Jacksonville High School. They began dating again after graduation and married on August 11,1951 at Barrow Baptist Church, Barrow, Illinois.

John moved to Rock Island, Illinois at the age of 17 in 1950 to seek employment. He started a long career at the Rock Island Farmall Plant as a mail clerk.  After attending college at night, he was promoted to designer in plant engineering and eventually became Plant Engineer until Farmall closed, being the last man out.

John loved baseball, especially the St. Louis Cardinals.  He also enjoyed coaching youth baseball and being an umpire.  He and Virginia followed Rocky sports for many years.  They also went to every sporting event of their granddaughters'.

Those left to cherish his memory include his wife of 73 years, Virginia Cloninger; daughter, Mary (Trent) Marquis; granddaughters, Sara (Olin) Morrow, Emily (Edwin) Dewez and Katie (Nick) Terry; great-granddaughters, Chloe and Madeleine Dewez.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his son, Rick Cloninger and sisters, Sheila Austin, Vivian Cloninger and Elsie and Martha Jo Cloninger.

The family would like to thank the caring staff at Allure of the Quad Cities in Moline.

Online condolences, memories and expressions of sympathy may be left for the family at wheelanpressly.com