So sorry and shocked to hear of John's sudden passing. I have known John since 5th grade (Mr Cox's class) and always considered him a good friend. John was always cheerful and happy and just an all around good guy. I remember one Halloween, John, myself and Chris Clark went out not to trick-o-treat but to just raise some hell. There was someone who lived around the corner from John's house who he didn't care for for some reason and we decided to blow up there mailbox. Chris and I did not have any fireworks but John had come prepared. He had some M-80's that he said would do the job nicely, and he even came up with an ingenious way to do it where we would not even be around when it went off. Chris and I were all in! We got to the mailbox when no one was around and John proceeded to light a cigarette, stick the M-80 fuze through the other end, and lay it in the box and close the door. We hustled out of there to somewhere where we could still see it and definitely hear it. He said sometimes it takes awhile. We waited...and waited...and waited...nothing...so we figured it had gone out. John was hell bent in blowing this mailbox up so he said we need to go back. We went back and he opened the door. The three of us looked inside right as this fuze was igniting. We took off in different directions and were about two steps away when this thing went off. It was a huge BOOM and pieces of mailbox were chasing us down the street. House lights started coming on and the three of us never saw each other until the next day we were in school. One of my most memorable moments with John to say the least. John and I played some golf together (Good golfer, played for Crossland), he used to host Friday night poker games (He seemed to always win or break even), and he had the afternoon Star paper route for many years (Loved riding in his convertible delivering papers). John was certainly one of the good guys and will be missed.
Jimmy Epps
So sorry and shocked to hear of John's sudden passing. I have known John since 5th grade (Mr Cox's class) and always considered him a good friend. John was always cheerful and happy and just an all around good guy. I remember one Halloween, John, myself and Chris Clark went out not to trick-o-treat but to just raise some hell. There was someone who lived around the corner from John's house who he didn't care for for some reason and we decided to blow up there mailbox. Chris and I did not have any fireworks but John had come prepared. He had some M-80's that he said would do the job nicely, and he even came up with an ingenious way to do it where we would not even be around when it went off. Chris and I were all in! We got to the mailbox when no one was around and John proceeded to light a cigarette, stick the M-80 fuze through the other end, and lay it in the box and close the door. We hustled out of there to somewhere where we could still see it and definitely hear it. He said sometimes it takes awhile. We waited...and waited...and waited...nothing...so we figured it had gone out. John was hell bent in blowing this mailbox up so he said we need to go back. We went back and he opened the door. The three of us looked inside right as this fuze was igniting. We took off in different directions and were about two steps away when this thing went off. It was a huge BOOM and pieces of mailbox were chasing us down the street. House lights started coming on and the three of us never saw each other until the next day we were in school. One of my most memorable moments with John to say the least. John and I played some golf together (Good golfer, played for Crossland), he used to host Friday night poker games (He seemed to always win or break even), and he had the afternoon Star paper route for many years (Loved riding in his convertible delivering papers). John was certainly one of the good guys and will be missed.
Condolences to his Wife and Family...
RIP John
Jim Epps