John L. McJunkin

After a lengthy illness, John L. McJunkin, age 92, passed away on May 21, 2018, in Richmond, Virginia. Mr. McJunkin moved to Richmond in 2009 from Jensen Beach, Florida, where he and his wife, Wanda Goode McJunkin, had retired after living and working in Kingsport, Tennessee for almost 40 years. He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Wanda, of Richmond, his daughter, Deborah Dickler (Brad) of Richmond, and son, John (Karen) of Washington, D.C. He is also survived by four grandchildren, Jacquii Fabricant (Steve) of Denver, Colorado, Brad Moss (Sarah) of Kansas City, Missouri, Matt McJunkin and James McJunkin, both of Washington, D.C., and four great grandchildren, Lexi and Natalie Fabricant and Channing and Connor Moss. He was predeceased by his parents, John S. and Nora McJunkin of Tellico Plains, TN, and his siblings, Ray McJunkin (Richburg, SC), Lou Reed (Louisville, TN) and Alene Gray (Garland, TX).

John was a proud son of Tellico Plains, graduated from high school in 1944, and immediately enlisted in the Army Air Corps, where he served as a tail gunner on B-17 aircraft. Postings at numerous airfields included Walla Walla, WA, Boise, ID and Guatemala. After WWII, John left the Army with the rank of Sergeant and attended East Tennessee State College (now University), where he played football, ran track and was active in student government as a class officer. A loyal son of ETSU, he participated throughout his life as a member of the booster clubs for Buccaneer athletic teams.

At ETSU, he met Wanda Goode of Bristol and they were married in 1949. Upon graduation in 1951, John went to work in the insurance business, starting first as a claims adjuster and then moving into insurance sales when he moved to Kingsport, TN to take a position with the Bennett & Edwards Agency. After leaving the insurance business, he went into banking and joined Kingsport Federal Savings & Loan (later Heritage Federal), where he became a company leader in the origination of home loans and student loans in the Kingsport area. All the while, John was active in the Kingsport community through his membership and leadership in various organizations, including the Home Builders Association, the Jaycees, the West Kingsport Optimist Club, the United Way, the Sevier Terrace Recreation Center and as a booster of Dobyns-Bennett High School sports teams. Near the end of his working career, he took a new position as senior vice president with Home Federal Savings & Loan.

Upon retirement, John and Wanda moved to Florida, where they lived in Jensen Beach for over 15 years, returning to Kingsport in the summers to maintain contact with that community and their friends at First Baptist Church of Kingsport, where they were active members for almost 50 years. John and Wanda enjoyed long and fruitful friendships everywhere they lived. Their special relationships with James and Barbara Hunt of Knoxville and P.T. and June Nottingham of Kingsport, and their families, sustained over many decades, ballgames, vacations and parties, were a great source of pleasure and fellowship over the years.

The family of John L. McJunkin wishes to give special thanks to John's tireless and devoted caregivers, Annette Farmer, Floria Hayes, Shelia Price and LaKisha Crump. In lieu of flowers, please direct any memorial gifts to the American Macular Degeneration Foundation donation website, https://www.macular.org/how-donate, and note that it is in memory of John L. McJunkin.

The family will receive friends and relatives at 5:30pm on Monday, June 4th, in the sanctuary of the First Baptist Church, 200 W. Church Circle, Kingsport, TN, with a memorial service following at 7:00pm in the sanctuary. A burial service will be held at 10:00am on Tuesday, June 5th at the Oak Hill Mausoleum, 800 Truxton Drive, Kingsport, TN.

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