David Eric John

Born March 25th, 1955, in Baltimore, Maryland, he spent his childhood building go-karts, taking things apart so he could put them back together, and just generally torturing his poor parents alongside brothers Don and Mike. The go-karts were eventually replaced with muscle cars that could pass anything but a gas station as well as a small plane he owned with some buddies. Both of these did all the heavy lifting for him when he met “the prettiest girl [he’d] ever seen.” Barbara was the love of his life and he knew it from jump, sharing 43 wonderful years and two beloved children, Matthew and Natalie.

A lifetime love of anything with a motor would eventually lead to a career as an aerospace engineer, meaning he got paid to do things he would’ve happily done for free. Moving up and down both coasts for work, Havelock was where the family would eventually put down roots. Whether around Cherry Point, the shooting range, or anywhere with Naturdays on ice, everybody knew Dave John, and to know him was to love him.

He was many things to many people. To some, he was a brewer, making beer (alongside Matt) better than anything you can buy at the store. To others, he was a man who could resurrect any piece of lawn equipment, whose “temporary fixes” are still going strong decades later. The same can be said for the multiple classic Yamaha motorcycles he rebuilt by hand, including the one given to his son-in-law as a wedding gift/dowry. Many have tasted his legendary cheesecakes. For Natalie and others, he was their beloved soccer coach, the man who took them to state and allowed them to use his sweatshirt as a kleenex. But his favorite role by far was that of Gramps to Audrey, Jack, and Julia. His face lit up when he saw them and they did the same upon seeing him. Whether it was building a swing set, fixing a toy, or painting a nursery, he was never happier than when doing something for his grandkids. Friday lunches at MJs with Barbara being a very close second.

He was preceded in death by his father Robert and his mother Naomi. He is survived and deeply missed by his wife Barbara; son Matthew and his wife Aby; daughter Natalie and her husband Ty and their kids Audrey, Jack, and Julia; brothers Don and Mike; his beloved doodles Porter and Ziva; and too many other people to list.

A memorial service will be held at Cotten Funeral Home in New Bern on January 26th at 1:00 PM. The family will receive friends following the service.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to Centenary United Methodist Church,c/o Centenary Preschool, PO Box 1388,New Bern, NC 28563. Affectionately calling his 4Runner the “Gramps Bus,” Dave spent many mornings driving Audrey to school while talking about the day to come, things they saw on the drive, the color of traffic lights and signs, and anything else she was curious about. He loved all of the teachers and trusted them implicitly with his grandkids. They in turn all knew Gramps and could count on him to drop by their rooms with a kind word and a smile whether or not they taught one of his gang.

Dave was a one of a kind person, the type of larger than life character most of us don’t encounter very often. His warmth, his openness, his charm, his 832 catchphrases, all of these endeared him to everyone who was lucky enough to cross paths with him. His death has left behind a tremendous void for those who loved him, but that void also serves as a reminder of the impact he had on the lives of all who knew him, a reminder of how beloved he was and our good fortune in getting him for as long as we did.