John Dujmic was born and grew up in Steelton, PA and in 1940, worked in a bakery, whilst living with his mother, father and siblings. His parents had moved to the United States from Croatia and had settled side-by-side with other Croatian-speaking families in Steelton.



On 29 April 1942, John married Thelma A Kennedy at the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church in Steelton, which was across the street from the family home. He enlisted the following month and served overseas at Fowlmere, England, with the 72nd Station Complement Squadron. At the time of his marriage, John was working at Stroehmann Brothers Bakery. He was a trained baker so it is likely the Army took advantage of this skill and employed him baking bread and as the company cook at Fowlmere.



During the war a daughter, Helen, was born in December, 1942. After the war, John and Thelma initially returned to his parents at 806 South Second street, Steelton and in May 1947 their daughter Mary was born. In 1949 a son, John Joseph, was born and then died six weeks later. The family grew with the births of three further daughters, Ruth (1951), Evelyn (1953) and Celeste (1955). John worked at the Bethlehem Steel Mill in Steelton until he was laid off in 1961. From 1961 to 1980 John worked at Mack Truck in Hagerstown, MD. as a cutter-grinder. The family lived in Greencastle, PA from 1963 until his death in 1980.



Thelma worked for many years as a nurse at Washington County Hospital in Hagerstown, MD.

His widow Thelma died in 2001.