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John Vincent Tomassi, 76, died April 10, 2024 in Sebring, Fla. He was born to John and Maria (nee Jaqubino) Tomassi Oct. 9, 1947, in Chicago, Ill. His wife Ellen (nee Elam) was at his side. At the age of 14, he moved to Fontana, Calif., with his mother and seven siblings after the death of his father. They later relocated to Desert Hot Springs, Calif., and in 1966 he married Ellen and to this loving union two sons were born. He graduated from Palm Springs High School and served his country in the U.S. Army with one tour in Tuy-Hoa, Vietnam, as a cook and kitchen supervisor with the 24th Transportation Company. Upon his discharge from active duty at Fort Ord, Calif. in 1968, John, Ellen and their 2-year-old son moved back to Desert Hot Springs, where John had a variety of jobs and hobbies including television and cable installation and motorcycle and dune buggy racing. In 1977 John joined the Search and Rescue team of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department in Yucca Valley, Calif. As a reserve member of this team, John also co-owned a custom welding shop that specialized in ornamental wrought iron gates. John graduated from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Academy in 1983 and was a full time Deputy Sheriff until his retirement as a Detective Sergeant in 1998. As a talented tattoo artist John purchased a tattoo shop in Kauai, Hawaii, and he and Ellen moved there upon his retirement from the Sheriff’s Department. Two years later, John and Ellen moved to Florida and opened two more tattoo shops. He closed his final shop in 2010 and fully retired. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather and is survived by his wife Ellen; two sons, John (Michaela) of Germany and Anthony (Terri) of the United Kingdom; four grandsons Toby, Jody, Jonathon and Jacob; one granddaughter Brooke; and two great granddaughters Rou and Lucca. A memorial service will be held at a later date. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the charity of your choice in his name.