John Michael Stich of Dallas, TX, went to see his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Wednesday, March 6th, 2024. John was a giant soul: a family man, philanthropist, business leader, community leader, collector, and devoted friend to thousands of people. He passed from pancreatic cancer at home at the age of 82, surrounded by and in prayer with his family.
John was born with his twin sister, Jane Stich on October 4th, 1941 in Washington D.C. to his parents, Fred and Betty Stich. He, Jane and his older brother Fred were raised in Milwaukee, WI, where he attended Marquette High School. John graduated from Marquette University in 1963 with a Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering.
Upon graduation, John worked for Sears in Chicago, where he helped design the first commercially-available transistor radio. John then moved to Dallas in 1964 to join Texas Instruments, where he had an historic, 35-year career leading businesses through the rise of semiconductors, computing and the internet. He worked 24 of those years in Asia, including Tokyo (1970-72, 1994-99), Taiwan (1978-1982) and Hong Kong (1982-1994). John led the expansion of several TI businesses in Asia, including the desktop calculator market in Japan, the first semiconductor distribution contract into China, the ASP business across Asia, and serving as Chief Marketing Officer of TI Japan. John was especially known and celebrated for developing and mentoring his people, and creating high-performing teams. After retiring from TI in 1999, John created his consultancy, the Asian Network, served on several boards including Diodes and Spansion, and continued as an active investor and advisor to companies of all sizes.
John met his wife, Christiana Parker, in 1967 in Dallas and they wed on April 19, 1969. Shortly after moving to Tokyo, John and Christiana welcomed their two children, Angela Elizabeth and John Michael II, in 1971 and 1972, respectively. John was a devoted husband and father, prioritizing and providing for his family for his entire life. Angela and her husband, Kevin Easterwood, had three of John’s seven grandchildren: Emma, Lauren and Aubrey. Michael and his wife, Elaine, had the other four: Natalie, Ava, Jack and Audra.
John’s Christian values and love for his grandchildren manifested in innumerous happy experiences, formative memories, and generous resources that together form a foundation that will last for generations. These included grilled cheese sandwiches, Christmases in Dallas, his Big Red Truck, hamburger and margarita nights, chocolate chip cookies, teaching them to dive, starting coin collections, acting as Emma’s and Lauren’s prayer partner, and going to sports and theater events. Every grandchild was treated to a special trip of their choosing when they turned 13. John was also a supportive and caring son, brother, in-law, uncle and cousin. He was always willing to help family, whenever and however he could.
John and Christiana retired to Dallas in 1999, where he found great joy as a community leader. He fostered relationships between Japan and Texas, served as Honorary Consul of Japan in Dallas, and helped to recruit and support dozens of Japanese companies in the area. He received the Bridges to Friendship Award by the Japan-America Society of Dallas/Fort Worth and the President’s Award by the DFW Asian American Citizens Council. He was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon, by the Emperor of Japan, the highest award from Japan to an outside citizen, for his lifelong service and friendship to the country.
John was a devoted Catholic and lived his faith by service to others. John led school and parish council boards, created and led the youth ministry at St. Anne’s in Hong Kong, and distributed rice cakes to the homeless in Tokyo train stations. John and Christiana established Project Oasis, a non-profit that funded libraries of schools in need. He was very proud to serve as a Knight of Columbus, and participated in their activities at the Prince of Peace Catholic Community in Plano, Texas. This included working with the American Wheelchair Mission to assemble wheelchairs for the needy in Mexico, and manning the waffle station at their monthly parish breakfast with his granddaughter, Aubrey. John was rooted in prayer throughout each day and showed unconditional kindness to everyone around him.
John was a citizen of the world. He was an energetic traveler to Maui, Asia, Europe and the Midwest, John was an active collector of Asian art and ancient coins, also serving as President of Numismatics International. John loved to golf and almost golfed his age (84 was his low). Cribbage, Bridge, Spades and Hearts filled his time with friends and family, and he beat his opponents almost every time. He enjoyed his Packers, Rangers or Mavericks games with a Modelo or Gin and Tonic, talked to his outside cats when he fed them every morning, and made his wife laugh just by being silly.
John’s Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, March 22, 2024, 11:30am at Prince of Peace Catholic Church, 5100 W. Plano Parkway, Plano, Texas 75093. The Holy Rosary will be said at 11am. John’s inurnment into the Prince of Peace Columbarium will be held privately in the future.
To honor John Stich and his life of giving, the Stich and Easterwood families encourage all to consider an act of service for those in need.