Born in Columbia, S.C. on December 2, 1931, John (his family and friends called him “Johnny”) was the youngest of seven children. After the death of his father when he was 7, his family relocated to Lancaster, S.C. He graduated from Lancaster High in 1950 and went on to graduate from Belmont Abbey College in 1954. He served in the U.S. Army in Germany during the Cold War, and when he returned, he married his sweetheart, Rose Hammond.
John and Rose had four children in Lancaster, and John pursued a career in sales. Later, they moved to Gastonia, N.C., where he worked for many years as VP of Sales for the Gaston Memorial Park Cemetery Corporation. After retiring from that job, he went on to a second career working with his lifelong friend, Gene Ratchford, at Southwood Realty in Gastonia.
An accomplished, lifelong athlete, John was a three-sport star at Lancaster High. He was the captain and starting fullback on the Lancaster High School football team and led the team to a South Carolina state championship. He went on to attend Belmont Abbey, where he played varsity basketball and baseball. He was an avid tennis player for many years, and more recently was a multi-medal winner in various events at the North Carolina Senior Games in Gaston County.
He was a devoted husband and father and a beloved, goofy grandfather. He loved to dance.
John is survived by his wife, Rose, and children John, Jr. (Jennifer), William (Susan), and Laura Randall, as well as grandchildren Heather Ward (Ryan), Ian, Sarah, Stephen, Ben, and Jack, as well as great grandchildren Zachary and Tyson Ward. He was preceded in death by his youngest son, Tommy, who died of cancer in 1980 at the age of 14. He was also preceded in death by his mother, Mae, his father, James, and all six of his siblings. He leaves behind many beloved nieces, nephews, and cousins in the Carolinas and around the country, and he leaves behind many great friends at Southwood, and more recently at his residence William’s Place in Davidson.
A reception will be held at Carothers Funeral Home at Gaston Memorial Park on New Hope Road in Gastonia Saturday, February 24, 2024 at 11:30 am.
To leave fond memories and expressions of sympathy for the Chesser Family, please visit www.carothersfuneralhomegastonia.com.
