John Stockton VanMeter Esq.

Tennessee, passed away on Monday, July 19, 2021. Born

February 27, 1967 in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, he was the son

of the late Edward Lee (Sonny) VanMeter and Sharon L. Stone.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his loyal

furbaby, Buddee, a beautiful Chow mix that John rescued on a

fishing trip.

He is survived by his sisters Lynn Beth Stone and Jill Renee

Napier; Wilma Kennedy (aunt), Ed Kennedy (cousin), Anita

Bess-Smart (cousin); Bernard Sharp (Brenda) (cousin), Jack (Retha) Stone (uncle), David Stone

(cousin), Nellie Treadway (aunt) and many other loving cousins

including Becky Wood (Bruce), Karen Bainer (Steve), Fonda

Shockey (Raymond) and Jeff Canterbury (Sandy).

A Celebration of Life service will take place at Gum Springs

Church in Chimney Corner, WV on Saturday, August 7, at 1

p.m. Family will receive friends and visitors one hour prior to

the service. Burial will follow at the Fayetteville Huse

Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Fayetteville, WV.

John grew up in McAlester, Oklahoma and graduated from

McAlester High School in 1985.

With such love of history he earned his AA in History from

Eastern Oklahoma State College in Wilburton, Oklahoma.

Additionally, he earned a BA from West Virginia University of

Morgantown and currently on track to earn a BA in Ancient Art

with Volunteer State Community College in Gallatin, Tennessee.

John, having never met a stranger, had the biggest heart and

showered everyone with love. He extended his love to any and

every person that came into his home, wanting his home filled

with love, joy, and laughter.

He was a dedicated brother; finding joy and inspiration in

fishing, watercolor painting, cooking delicious food, listening to

music and attending concerts. While John battled many

complications as the result of diabetes, his love and spirit never

waivered. Most of all, he was an exceptional son, brother, cousin

and friend; always sacrificing his time to care for others.

John also enjoyed his walks daily with his fur nephew Simon

Winston Stone and fur neice, Destiny Marie Napier. Upon those

walks, John often spoke of being in tune with nature and that his

love for the woods and mountains always seemed to call his

name. He was not a city boy in any way - although he did enjoy

going to the Opera and more modern theatre in Nashville,

Tennessee with his sisters and friends (Eric Brawner and Alan

Cantrell).

John’s love of reading was apparent in the many, many, many

books he had in his home. In his later years, John enjoyed

watching cooking shows and reading cookbooks and would try

his hand at cooking. He always made sure he cooked his sister,

Lynn Beth, steak just the way she liked it and she always

commented that it was so much better than she could get at a 5

star steak house.

And, he would make sure his sister Jill had a coffee maker once

COVID began and she was working from home. He commented

to her that just because the world had stopped that it was no

reason that she would need to stop drinking her coffee.

These are just a few things that showed how much John was in

tune with his sisters and his love for them.