John was an avid learner.  He famously read the entirety of the Encyclopedia Britannica as a child, and was never far from a book for the rest of his life.  He graduated from French High School in Beaumont Texas, earned his bachelor’s at the University of South Alabama, his doctorate at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California at Berkeley before settling in Lexington KY.  He enjoyed a long 37 year career as a Professor of Biology at the University of Kentucky, where he conducted federally-funded research into how the building blocks of DNA and RNA are formed.  He served multiple terms as Department Chair, taught biology and genetics to countless UK students, but above all he preferred to be in his lab wrestling with his scientific puzzles.

John married the love of his life, Carol Ann, on August 23, 1969.  They wrote their wedding invitations while Neil Armstrong walked on the moon.  He absolutely cherished Carol Ann.  He loved her with every fiber of his being, and that love was wholeheartedly reciprocated.  In the last few years of his life, while he struggled increasingly with advanced Alzheimer’s Disease, Carol Ann devoted every day to caring for him, advocating for him and making sure all his needs were met.  John lived a life filled with great love towards others.  He was a devoted father and grandfather, and found great joy in spending time together with his family.

John was always an avid fisherman, a lover of nature and the outdoors – something he learned from his parents and something he passed down to his children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews.  John loved to go on camping and fishing trips with his family.  He had a very special connection to his brother and nieces and nephews, who lovingly referred to him as “Uncle Johnny.”  They held a special bond that time will not break. His family was extremely special to him and he loved them dearly.  It would certainly have been his hope that the family camping and fishing traditions will carry on for generations to come.

John had an insatiable appetite for travel and new experiences.  Together with his beloved wife, John visited all 50 states and traveled the world to see many continents and countries.  They took sabbaticals in which they lived abroad in France, England, Germany and Sweden.  He visited his daughter and her family while they were living in Ghana, to learn about and show his respect to her husband’s family and culture, which even further solidified the bond between the two families.

John had a heart for social justice and service.  He served enthusiastically as both a deacon and an elder in his churches in both Kentucky (Central Christian Church in Lexington) and Connecticut (First Church of Christ in Redding). His favorite scripture was Micah 6:8.  It reads “And what does the Lord require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”  He had many friends from church and work.  He was an avid volunteer for social justice campaigns and a scout leader for many years.  Most of all, he just shared himself, the simple goodness of himself, with all those he met. He had a beautiful way of making those around him feel loved, accepted and complete.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or the Bright Stars of Bethlehem, a charity dear to John’s heart. Additionally, the family expresses deep gratitude to the staff of Peak Resources Brookshire for their compassionate care and hospitality to John and the family.

A service celebrating John’s life will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 5 at the Bluestem Conservation Cemetery, 1900 Hurdle Mills Road, Cedar Grove, NC.