John Edgar Henry

MATTHEWS, NC - Mr. John Edgar Henry, 90, passed away peacefully in the presence of his loved ones Wednesday, November 2, 2022.

Funeral services will be held 1:00 p.m. Saturday, November 12, 2022 at Gaskin Funeral Services, 14617 Lawyers Road, Matthews, NC. Interment, with military honors, will immediately follow at Philadelphia Baptist Church Cemetery in Marshville. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Friday.

John was born January 7, 1932 in Oxford County, Maine. He was the son of the late James and Mary McKennon Henry. In addition to his parents, John was preceded in death by his son, John Robert “Bobby” Henry; brother, James Henry; and sister, Patricia Krajick. John proudly served his country in the United States Navy, achieving the rank of Seaman.

John was a man of deep faith who loved Jesus and wasn’t afraid to tell you. He prayed over every meal, oftentimes aloud. He studied his Bible daily and eagerly shared the gospel, inspiring countless others to walk in the Christian faith. John was very active in the church during his adult life - playing on bowling and softball leagues, teaching Sunday school, singing in the choir, serving as Deacon, and most recently served with the jail ministry for 16 years at First Baptist Church of Charlotte. Several churches where John served throughout his life include First Baptist Church in Upper Marlboro, MD, Clinton, MD and Surfside Beach, SC.

A family man, John built a beautiful life with his wife of 69 years, Martha. Together, they raised three children and on their 50th wedding anniversary, John and Martha renewed their wedding vows. A loving father, John would sing his favorite song, “Daddy’s Little Girl”, to Janice from her infancy until his last days. John was hard-working, often multiple jobs to ensure his family's needs were met. He had such a heart for others that he and Martha fostered several children in their home, showing as much love as they did their own. Spending time with his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and other family members meant a lot to John. You could always count on him to show his support by attending important milestones and events. 

He had a wonderful personality - jovial, gentle, kind, and often played pranks on his friends. John was a smart man who knew how to fix anything, “his way”. He certainly lived life to the fullest, maintaining a garden for many years, living at the beach and immersing himself in the church. He was always up for a nibble of something sweet, especially chocolate, and always made sure there was plenty of food around to share with others. 

In addition to his wife, Martha, John is survived by his children, Charles Eric Lyons and Janice Kate McCarn; daughter-in-law, Patricia Lyons; grandchildren, Heather Lyons, April Ghul, Marcia Folnsbee, Kyle Emert, John Robert Henry, Jr., Christina Henry, and Joshua Henry; and great-grandchildren, Talia Ghul, Lucas Folnsbee, Cohen Folnsbee, Kristian Emert, Kolten Emert, Aubrey Henry, Joshua Henry, Jr and Azryn Henry.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to Hospice & Palliative Care Charlotte Region ( https://www.hpccr.org/giving )