Shorter, John Mc Cleland (Age 83) of Accokeek, Maryland.

On Sunday, December 7, 2014, God called John McCleland Shorter from this life into eternal life. He passed peacefully at home surrounded by love ones. John was born February 23, 1931 in Washington, DC to the late John H. Shorter and Elizabeth Marshall Nelson Vincent Shorter Riley.

John was educated in Charles County Public school and returned years later and received his high school diploma in 1989. Receiving his high school diploma was one of John's many proudest moments because during his era children only went to the fifth or sixth grade. John obtained an honorable discharge after serving in the Korean war from 1951 to 1953.

He married the love of his life Catherine D. Sewell on November 7, 1986. John worked at the Naval Ordnance Station in Indian Head, Maryland for several years and retired from the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission as a supervisor in 1985. John enjoyed family, friends, being with Petee, (his toy poodle who never wanted to leave his side), traveling (England, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, France and Hawaii (to name a few), working on historical cars (his 1972 Karmen Ghia), watching TV(MSNBC) his favorite news station), and making projects work that seem impossible.

He was a member of St. Catherine's Church in McConchie, Maryland and sung in the church choir. He was a member of the American Legion Post 170 in Pomonkey, Maryland and a man full of wisdom and will to share it, truth, fairness, love, patience and knowledge.

In addition to his parents, John is preceded in death by three sons; Ronnie, John Kevin and Michael Shorter, Shirley Gray (the children's mother), two brothers; James Vincent (Rhoda) and Nelson Shorter, step father; James J. Riley Sr, three grandchildren; Latasha Fenwick, LaToya Marbury and Rodney Shorter Jr; grandparents, mothers-in-law; Charity Louise Riley Knott and Ella Gray, father-in-law; Robert Riley, sisters-in-law; Doris Riley, Charity L. Riley, step father-in-law; James L. Knott and two good friends and army buddies, Alfred F. Eusery and Isaiah Allen.

Left to cherish his memories are his wife; Catherine D. Shorter, five daughters; Joyce (Kevin) Duckett, Carolyn (Glenn-deceased) Shorter-Dudley, Sandra (Stanley) Burns, Terri Shorter and Shirley (Joseph) Douglas, two sons; Rodney Shorter, Sr and Charles Shorter Sr., 21 grandchildren, 29 great grandchildren and two great, great grandchildren, one brother; James J. (Elizabeth) Riley Jr, sisters-in-law; Eleanor (Donald-deceased) Jennifer, Rose (Harold) Spriggs, Gloria (John) Dorsey, Clovie Riley, Tillie (Roger) Lee, Lorraine (Leon) Boyce, Ruth (Chester) Gross, Grace (John) Bivins, Betty (Robert) Johnson, brothers-in-law; Robert (Hilda) Riley, Charles Riley, Moses (Brenda) Riley, John (Saundra) Riley, Daniel (Tonya) Riley, Leonard (Octavia) Gray, John (Irma) Gray, five Godchildren, a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, good friends, an army buddy from Dallas, Texas, Howard (Glenna Mae)Hampton, First Lady, Daisy L. Eusery from Jacksonville, Georgia and Ella Allen from Clarksville, Tennessee.

Viewing, 8am until 9:30am, Mass of Christian Burial, 10am, Friday, December 19, 2014 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 201 St. Mary's Avenue, La Plata, Maryland.

Interment, 1:00pm Maryland Veteran Cemetery, 11301 Crain Highway, Cheltenham, Maryland.