VERNE HOLLIS JOHN, JR.

Verne Hollis John, Jr. died August 28, 2023 at his home in Columbus after a courageous battle with cancer.

Verne was born in Beeville on July 20, 1952 to Verne Hollis John, Sr. and Marlene Newman John. Verne’s father was in the Navy, and the family followed him around the United States from Bakersfield, California, Pecos and Canyon.

He started working with a strong work ethic at an early age, holding down 3 paper routes on the bike he built himself. He never went without at least one job from then on, working in trucking, construction, maintenance management, insurance and refrigeration.

Verne received a BS in Business Management from La Tourneau University and continued his career in HVAC working as a salesman, maintenance management and VRF consultant. Verne’s last job was the one he loved most of all, teaching HVAC to young students at Blinn Community College.

Verne met Gilda in 1977 and they raised their son Tre and daughter Jami and were happily married until Gilda’s death in 2012. Verne met and married Claire Lewis in 2014. They traveled around the United States and came back to Columbus where together they lived in a trailer during 2020 while Verne designed and built their home on the Colorado river where they felt like they had found the happiest place on earth.

Verne is preceded in death by his parents, his wife Gilda, and sister Patricia. He is survived by his wife, Claire, son, Tre John, Tre’s wife, Jennifer and their children, Gabriel, Maddie, and Ellie, and his daughter Jami John, sisters, Marcia Walker, Chris Dodson, Joy Bull, and brother, Jackson John and many nieces and nephews.

The funeral was at a private graveside burial at Camp Creek Cemetery in Franklin on Aug. 30, 2023 deep in the woods where Verne loved to go. In remembrance, please pray for peace in this world.