“It was a joy to work with John. Just saying his name makes me smile. He had a heart for people, whether it was a client or volunteer. He was very good at relationships; the farmers and vendors all enjoyed talking with him. He loved his wife, Lana, and his family. John was a proud Army veteran and volunteered for the ‘No Veteran Dies Alone’ program. He would get a call that a veteran was dying and would sit with him, providing comfort and ensuring that he didn’t die alone.”

“I loved his smile and his love for prayer. One of my favorite memories of working at North Kent was the beginning of the day. Right before 8:00 a.m., John would round us all up and say, ‘It’s prayer time.’ We would gather in the kitchen, take turns leading prayer, and share prayer requests. With John, there was always joking, laughing, and teasing. And a lot of caring. He was tuned in with his team and knew where they were in their walk with life. They took breaks together, shared together, and took care of each other. We were a family at North Kent.”

~ Dawn Ellis
Various roles at NKC, including Business Manager and Volunteer Coordinator, 2013-2020