John, the eldest of four children, was born in Connecticut. While most of the Diller family followed their father to Japan during WWII, John remained stateside at Hotchkiss School in Connecticut.

After Hotchkiss, John spent three years active duty in the Air Force beginning in 1946. After completing basic and tech school, John was assigned to the 13^th Air Force in the Philippines. He was discharged as a buck sergeant.

John used the GI bill to finance his education at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. After graduation he was commissioned as a 2^nd Lieutenant ROTC. He spent some 45 years in the Air Force reserve, finally retiring as a Colonel. Most of his reserve time was spent as a recruiter for the Air Force Academy. John also put his degree to good use, eventually becoming an auditor in the automotive industry.

John, a widower, was married to Mette Sorenson, a Danish nurse. They were married for 50 years and had six children and six grandchildren. John now lives in Sterling Heights, Michigan. He is the author of House 579, Crooks and Books, Life on the Ridge and the soon- to-be published Jokes for the John.