John Milton Willard

To John Milton Willard, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, he was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around him, he seemed to be eternally happy, and he willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life he touched. For John, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, he could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. John really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

His parents were John A. and Juanita Lawson Willard. John was raised in Roanoke, Virginia. Even as a child, John had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around him. He was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. He couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. He was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, he succeeded in entertaining his entire family.

Always a good playmate, John was easygoing and fun loving. He was a calm and playful child who was adaptable to any situation. He managed to lighten the mood wherever he was, even during family squabbles. He seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, John managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Early on in his family relationships, John showed that he was a tolerant and flexible person, and he got along fairly well with everyone. He was raised with one sibling, his brother Gary.

All of John's playful good humor carried over into his childhood. He was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed him to be constantly on the go. As a result, John experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited him very well. He always enjoyed race cars.

Ask anyone who knew him from school and they would tell you that John was a class “cut-up.” He didn’t do it to be unkind or to garner all the attention. Rather, John simply enjoyed others’ laughter and the sounds of his friends and acquaintances having a good time. It could be said that for John, grades may not have been the most important thing to him, but he really did enjoy his school experience. Since experience was John's best teacher. He enjoyed hands-on learning and applying the “practical” approach to knowledge, rather than getting caught up in “theory.” John graduated from William Flemming High School in 1966. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers.

John reveled in his college years, where his imagination could run free. He was viewed by many of his classmates as being a creative, artistic person. John was usually found at the center of things, whether it was during class or in extracurricular activities. He was a jovial person who loved to share his passion for fun with others. But for John, life was not a case of all play and no work. John relished the task of putting his imagination to work in class. He was able to discover new and different ways of answering problems and creating unusual and different solutions. He earned his degree in funeral service from Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science.

John never actually encountered a stranger in his dealings with people. He was drawn to individuals and crowds, using his gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate his audience. This quality allowed John to continually develop new relationships, ever widening his circle of friends. John delighted in his role among all his acquaintances, because he viewed them all as potential spectators for his performance. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, John was always right at home putting on a show among his friends. John utilized his interest in others as a great way to connect with them. While growing up, some of his best friends were Jimmy Sledd and Gary Belcher. John loved sharing life and having his home filled with people he knew.

The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made John very easy to approach. On May 16, 1987 John exchanged wedding vows with Jacqueline Leigh Williams at Centenary United Methodist Church of Lynchburg, Virginia. He was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage.

John had a great relationship with his two step-sons, Brian G. Thurston and Mark E. Thurston. Perhaps the reason John related so well to children was the fact that he never really completely grew up himself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped him in a wonderful relationship with his five grandchildren, Ashton Leigh Thurston, Alex E. Thurston, Berkely H. Thurston, Lindsey Johnson and Josh Johnson. John had the ability to focus his attention on the present moment. If he was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of his attention was directed. John's compassionate side prevented him from being a strict disciplinarian, and he could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. He could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, John had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

At work, as in life, John was a real “people person. ” he had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and his enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. John liked to see himself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, John was an adaptable realist, using his common sense and trusting his experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. John's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around him to see John as an excellent problem solver. His primary occupation was a licensed funeral director with Whitten Funeral Homes and he also served as manager of the Whitten Timberlake Chapel. He was employed for twenty years with Whitten Funeral Homes and over thirty five years in funeral service.

John enjoyed his leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. John liked creating and making things, he enjoyed working in his yard and cooking. His favorite pursuits were fishing and hiking with his grandson Alex. John was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

John felt excited and challenged by sports. Even if he wasn’t the best, John loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. John relished the opportunities where he could make an impact, and he would often push himself to play above his abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, John never seemed to get caught off guard, even when confronted with unexpected conflict. John was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were NASCAR racing and football.

John had an endless appetite for new and different activities. He was always ready to join in the fun and add his flair and energy to an organization. Because of his personality, his humor, and his ability to get along with everyone, John's service was greatly valued by the organizations to which he belonged. Throughout the years, John was an active member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Lodge # 321, the Lynchburg Sports Club, Ducks Unlimited, the Fraternal Order of Police Associates and a former member of N. A. S. C. A. R.

Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, John recognized that his faith was important to him throughout his life. He was a member of Preston Oaks Baptist Church in Roanoke, Virginia.

It is no surprise that he loved to travel and to visit new and different places. He was impulsive and willing to try anything once. He enjoyed quiet vacations with his wife and family, favorite vacations included trips with Jackie and his grandchildren to Long Beach and Hatteras Island, North Carolina.

John passed away on January 21, 2007 at Lynchburg General Hospital. He is survived by his beloved wife Jackie; his mother Juanita Lawson Willard; his brother Gary; his step-sons Brian and Mark and his five grandchildren, Alex, Berkely, Ashton, Lindsey and Josh. Services were held at Whitten Timberlake Chapel. John was laid to rest in Sherwood Memorial Park in Roanoke, Virginia.

John brought joy to all of those around him. He never had a mean bone in his body. He loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. He loved to share his energy, wit, and his zest for all of his activities with his friends and family. John Milton Willard lived life to its fullest and made everyone around him happier just for knowing him. He will be remembered with a smile.