John Carel

John David Carel passed away peacefully on May 21, 2026, surrounded by his wife, daughter and beloved dog, due to complications from Inclusion Body Myositis, a progressive disease with which he had lived for over a decade. He was 66.

John will always be remembered as an open, caring, and generous soul, the kind to whom others often gravitated for help, advice, or a sympathetic ear.

John was born and raised in Chamblee, Georgia where he had a career in the Chamblee Department of Parks and Recreation. During his life, he was keenly interested in spending time in nature and greatly enjoyed cooking for and with others. He was also an avid reader, particularly of Scottish and medieval history, which he brought to bear as an active member of the Society for Creative Anachronism and as an annual participant in the Stone Mountain Highland Games, where he was known to wear his Great Kilt. John was an active teacher and eager to share his historical knowledge in both organizations. Additionally, he trained in martial arts achieving advanced belts in both Taido and Tang Soo Do. He was also one-eighth Native American and was very proud of his Cherokee heritage.

John is survived by his wife, Melissa Gross Carel, and his daughter, Nicole Arabella-Chahoon Carel, both of Chamblee, GA.

A memorial service will be held on June 27th at 2:00 pm at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 435 Peachtree St., NE, Atlanta, GA where John was a long-time member. A reception and remembrances will follow in the Parish Hall. In lieu of flowers, donations are respectfully requested to go to PAWS Atlanta, which is where John found his adored dog, Holly.