John Wiley Fugate

John Wiley Fugate, a lifelong resident of Phoenix, Arizona, passed away peacefully on September 21, 2026, at St. Joseph Hospital—the same hospital where he was born on July 26, 1958. He was 68 years old.

John was born to Carol Virginia Amelung and Bedford Leon Fugate and was the second of their two sons. He was raised in Phoenix, attended Apollo High School, and later continued his education by earning college credits while proudly serving in United States Army.

John devoted 30 years of his life to the pest control industry, a career he truly loved. He was a dedicated and highly respected technician who knew his profession inside and out. Throughout his career, he was recognized numerous times as Technician of the Month and received many awards for his outstanding work. He worked hard, often six days a week, and took great pride in serving his customers. To John, his job was more than just a way to make a living, it was something he genuinely enjoyed and was exceptionally good at.

Outside of work, John was an avid sports fan. If it had anything to do with Arizona, John was interested. The Arizona Diamondbacks were among his favorites, and he also had a special fondness for Kansas City. His love of Kansas City was largely because his cousin, Kathy, loved Kansas City, and if Kathy loved it, John was happy to love it too.

John had a special place in his heart for his grandfather and was affectionately known as Grandpa's boy. He was his grandfather's special grandson, and the two shared many happy hours sitting together watching television, eating popcorn, and laughing. John would cheer for whoever his grandfather was cheering for. That was simply the kind of person John was, loyal, devoted, and always connected to the people he loved. John was also very devoted to his faith. He was raised in the church “Northwest Assembly of God’ where he always rode his bike every Wednesday night to participate in the "Royal Rangers" program.

In his younger years, John enjoyed fishing and hunting with his dad at Roosevelt Lake. He especially enjoyed hunting deer and elk in the Kaibab National Forest. Later in life, sports became one of his greatest pastimes. John worked hard all week and protected his Sundays so he could settle in and watch his favorite teams. His dedication to sports was so complete that he was known to do his laundry during halftime rather than miss a game.

Above all else, John loved his mother. She was his heart and his soul. He devoted himself to her, helping her around the house, taking care of the little things, and doing whatever he could to make her life easier. His love and devotion to his mother were evident to everyone who knew him.

John will be remembered for his loyalty, his strong work ethic, his love of sports, his sense of family, and the devotion he showed to those closest to him. He was a hardworking man who took pride in what he did, loved deeply, and remained true to the people he cared about.

John is survived by his beloved mother, Carol Virginia Amelung Fugate; and his aunt Georgia and uncle George, along with several cousins and other family members and loved ones who will miss him dearly.

John will be laid to rest at Rest Haven Park Cemetery in the family plot. Although he was eligible for burial at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona in recognition of his military service, his family has chosen to have him laid to rest alongside his family.

John's life was rooted in family, loyalty, hard work, and love. He will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by all who had the privilege of knowing him.