John Dixon Lineberger Jr.

John Dixon Lineberger, Jr., passed away on November 18, 2023 at The Hospice House at Southminster in Charlotte, NC. He was born on August 3, 1935 in Atlanta, GA to John Dixon Lineberger, Sr. of Shelby, NC and Louise Bradshaw Lineberger of Rockmart, GA. His father, a member of the S&W family and assistant manager at the Atlanta cafeteria, had met his mother who had come there to work as a hat check girl. The family soon moved to Asheville, where his father managed the downtown S&W Cafeteria, and John spent an idyllic childhood playing with his pony and other farm animals at Haw River Farm, which now lies under I-240.

During WWII the family moved to Mystic, CT, where his father was in charge of food procurement for the U.S. Navy’s submarine fleet. It was here that John first fell in love with the Navy. In 1946 the family moved to Raleigh into the Anderson Drive area, where John played in the creeks as a child and went on to graduate from Broughton High School, where he served as class president in 1953. He never missed a class reunion which were held every 5 years. From there, he enrolled at the old Wake Forest and then moved to Winston-Salem when the school moved there his sophomore year. John was a member of the tennis team, the debate team and the KA Fraternity where he served as president. He always said the guys elected him president to keep them in line, because he never smoked or drank and didn’t until the day he died.

After graduating in 1957 with a degree in business, John was commissioned into the U.S. Navy as an Ensign. He served on the USS Fremont in the Mediterranean, where he was a communications/cryptology officer and qualified for Command at Sea. After three years, he joined the Navy Reserves, where he served as commanding officer of the local reserve group and retired in August of 1988 with the rank of Captain. One of his distinctions was being presented the Meritorious Service Medal by Ronald Reagan for being the primary organizer and participant of the NC Mobilization Coordination Executive Committee for civil defense from 1985 to 1988.

John’s civilian career was varied but always centered on food. He was employed with the S&W cafeteria in jobs from assistant manager to Vice President in Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina. After that, he was employed by Eckerd’s Drugs for 10 years, where he travelled to the different locations setting up their in-house soda fountains. He developed the top sliced hot dog bun and the chili and slaw, which made the Eckerd hot dogs loved by all. When Eckerd’s was sold in 1985, he started the JD Lineberger Company with one line and operated it for almost 40 years as a basically one man operator. John was known as a pioneer broker and represented as many as 15 companies at one time. He always had “the best of whatever the product was”. He was always enthusiastic and loved his products and the companies and people he represented. To him, it was never work, it was always fun and he was always on call. Even when Covid hit, he still actively represented several lines.

John was a member of Providence United Methodist Church and the Christian Home Class for over 50 years. He had many friends there, and played Thursday golf with the guys for years.

John was a proud family man who loved his family and friends. On several phones his ID is Jolly John, which is how we like to remember him. He played Queen City tennis for over 30 years, both for Huntingtowne Farms and then Park Crossing. Also, he never passed up a golf match with his sons and friends. One of his biggest thrills was playing at Augusta National twice. He remembered every shot and lie like he had played there the day before.

He is survived by his wife, Sarah Collins Lineberger; by his son, JD Lineberger, wife Kelly and children John Dixon V, Ragan, and Bradshaw Lineberger of Lakeland, FL; daughter, Mary Barnett, husband Doug and children Aaron, Anna, Abby, Abel and Audrey Barnett; daughter, Frances Barry, husband Brian and son Joseph; by son, Perrin W. Jones, wife Laura and children Ella, Perrin and Hampton Jones; and by son, Michael C. Jones, wife Kristen and children Riley, Arden, and Olin Jones; and by his sister, Mary Louise Allen of Delray Beach, FL and her daughters Louise and Nancy Allen. He was predeceased by son, Vernon K. Jones, who disappeared in New York City on New Year’s Day in 1993. We pray that he was there to welcome him.

Services will be held on Monday, November 27 at McEwen Funeral Home in Pineville with a visitation starting at 11 am and a service at 12 pm.

On Tuesday the family will take his ashes to Sunset Cemetery in Shelby, where he will be laid to rest with the John Dixon Lineberger’s before him. When we would visit, he always said it was eerie seeing his name on so many headstones; just a different date. Afterwards, we will go to Vauxhall, the family home his grandfather built in the 1920’s, to tour the old home and have dinner in the fish camp that operates in the back part of the house. He arranged a similar occasion for his father when he died in 1999. It is fitting because John did love a fish camp, never drove by one without stopping, and sold them many thousands of pounds of shrimp all over North and South Carolina.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to: https://www.viagiving.org

Via Health Partners, PO Box 470408, Charlotte, NC 28247

We would like to thank his doctors, the dialysis units, Hospice, friends and family who have cared for him and taken care of us through these difficult times over the last two years. We all take comfort in knowing that he is no longer suffering and is finally at peace in the arms of our Lord.