John H. Hornburg, a resident of Irvine, died peacefully in hospice on Christmas evening, December 25, 2024, after a brief illness. He was 79 years old.
John was born on May 15, 1945, in Los Angeles, the son of Charles H. Hornburg Jr. and Grace Rowley Hornburg, who were in the process of divorce. Raised largely by his mother and stepfather, Anthony Veiller, he spent much of his childhood in Europe, attended high school in New England, and graduated from the University of Arizona in 1968.
An early first marriage ended in divorce, but also happily resulted in John’s two adored daughters, Kate and Polly. In 1979, John stopped by his lawyer’s office and happened to meet the lawyer’s attractive new secretary. Two years later, on May 25, 1981, John and Kristin married and lived happily ever after. No two people were ever more meant to be with each other.
John spent the early years of his career in Tucson, Arizona, where he developed and constructed apartment complexes and single-family housing notable for their attractiveness and design detail. In 1989 he and Krissy moved to Los Angeles, where he took over the management of Charles H. Hornburg Motor Cars, the preeminent Jaguar dealership with the iconic showroom on the Sunset Strip. After successfully negotiating the sale of the dealership in 2013, he and Krissy moved to south Orange County to be near his grandchildren. He spent his final years engaging in private philanthropy and quietly helping people in need.
In the course of his eight decades, John enjoyed the best that life has to offer, and faced the very worst that it deals out, and met both with character and grace. He treated everyone with the same respect and used his wonderful sense of humor to connect with people. He was a devoted family man, a friend to many, a traditional conservative who remained true to his ideals, and a man of faith who did God’s work. He liked Noir Alley, West Highland terriers, and Snickers bars. He was a lifelong fan of the Dodgers, even during the McCourt era.
John is mourned by Krissy, his beloved wife and partner in joy and sorrow; his dearly-loved daughter, Kate (Brad) Jarvis; his wonderful grandchildren, Todd (Jenna) Jarvis and Lauren (Reece) Plankenberg; his sister and brother, Caroline Veiller Saltzman and Bayard Veiller, and their families; and by everyone who had the great fortune of knowing him and, even better, spending time with him.