Mr. John Pierson Churchill

John Pierson Churchill, 81, was born on September 28, 1934 in Syracuse, New York to Jane and Jack Churchill. He had one brother James, who died shortly after childbirth and another brother Jerry, who passed away tragically at the age of 16. His school years started off slowly! He flunked kindergarten because he refused to play with blocks but then somehow skipped the first grade! He graduated from Onondaga High School. He then graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in Forestry. His claim to fame while in college was that Jim Brown (a super star athlete) was his classmate. Then drafted into the United States Army, he was stationed in Yuma, Arizona. He was a weatherman and released balloons into the atmosphere. He always bragged that while he was in the Army no troops invaded Yuma. Then to escape from Yuma, he entered the Pulp and Paper school at NC State University to earn his Master’s degree. He lived in a house that still stands today near Meredith College (so very convenient that he lived next to an all-girls school). After a few internships in Houston, Charleston and Wisconsin he started work at Champion International in Cincinnati, Ohio. This is where he met his wife, Anna Moellers Churchill of 42 years. She preceded him in death in June 2008. He was then transferred to Canton, NC. He worked in Canton until his retirement in 1999. He had been with Champion for 37 years. In retirement, he did a lot of volunteer work. He tutored children in middle school in math, drove as a fill-in for Meals on Wheels, drove for Call a Ride, and was on the committee for Council on Aging. His claim to fame while driving for Call a Ride was that he drove Dorothy Hart who played Jane in Tarzan (it’s true I looked it up). His favorite movies included ‘Shot in the Dark’, ‘Young Frankenstein’ and ‘Apple Dumpling Gang’. His first date with Anna was ‘Shot in the Dark’. She once mentioned that she was so embarrassed by how much he laughed that she almost didn’t go out with him again! It’s a good thing she did or Lura and Johnny would have never been born! He had a great sense of humor, loved puns, loved golf and loved a gin martini! John passed away on February 1, 2016 but he kept his sense of humor up until the end. His last joke on January 30, 2016 was… Question: How do you catch a polar bear? Answer: You make a hole in the ice and line it with peas. When the bear goes in to take a pea, you kick him in the ice hole.  The family will receive friends from 1:00 – 2:00 PM, Saturday, February 6, 2016, at Morris Funeral Home, 304 Merrimon Avenue. A graveside service will follow at 2:30 PM, Saturday, February 6, 2016 at Riverside Cemetery with The Reverend Gary Coffey officiating. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the CarePartners Hospice Foundation, PO Box 25338, Asheville, NC 28813 or to the Salvation Army, 204 Haywood Street, Asheville, NC 28805.

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Mr. John Pierson Churchill

September 28, 1934 - February 1, 2016