In remembrance of John Colby & to help his family

Hi everyone,

First, I want to thank you for coming here and helping to celebrate and remember my father John Wilson Colby Jr. He passed away on Tuesday, May 30th at ~1:15pm EST, which was just 3 days after his 77th birthday. Whether you knew him as a teacher, coach, principal, friend, neighbor, or family member, your presence here is appreciated.

Today we are here to remember and celebrate him, and if willing hopefully you can donate to help his wife (my step-mom Ann), and his two adopted grandchildren LeighAnn and Bryce. They really need our help.

If you ever met my father...

You likely have your own fond memories of him. He was a kind, gregarious and sincere soul that welcomed everyone into his home, schools and the teams he coached. I genuinely believe he wanted all of us to be our best and do our best.

The road for him was hard...

John's journey to the end was a tough one. Before his passing on May 30th, he had been in the hospital for five months following a heart attack. Despite his heart operating at a mere 25% efficiency and other health complications, his determination to recover never wavered.

For those of you unaware, John and Ann adopted LeighAnn and Bryce after the sudden passing of their mother, Amanda "Mandy" Matthews, Ann's daughter. With the children's father, Lee Matthews, also having passed, John felt a deep responsibility to be there for them. His desire to recover, despite his body's failing health and additional heart attacks, was driven by his commitment to his adopted grandchildren and his additional 8 grandkids from his children (Deirdre, Heather and John III).

He never let his challenges overshadow his positivity. He constantly spoke of his grandchildren and maintained a smile, endearing him to his caregivers. His ability to stay coherent over those five months, despite his circumstances, was truly remarkable. I truly don't know how he did that.

Why we need your help...

Ann and his adopted grandchildren, LeighAnn and Bryce, need our support. Ann is 78 and still works two days a week as a wound care nurse. Their modest retirement was never intended to support two children.

If you can give a few dollars to them, you can help Ann and the children save for college and help Ann with some of the medical bills and living expenses. My father prior to his heart attack was still working a few days a week teaching history to prison inmates. He truly loved history and sharing it with others. I can attest since he would drag my sisters and me to so many battlefields and museums as kids.

If you decide to donate, I can only say thank you. If not, I thank you for stopping by and thinking of my father.

Thanks for everything dad, and I hope to see you again.

Upcoming funeral service for John...

A memorial service for John will be held on Saturday, June 17th, 2023 at Tappahannock Presbyterian Church at 2:00 p.m.

His obituary can be found here.