Rev. James M. “Jerry” John passed away peacefully on October 22 in Roanoke, VA. He was a retired United Methodist minister and founder of the Institute of Industrial and Commercial Ministries (ICM).
Rev. John was born in Alderson, West Virginia, the son of Rev. Byron Wilson John and Donella McCulloch John. He graduated from Randolph-Macon Academy in 1947 and from Berea College in 1951.
Rev. John earned a divinity degree from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University in 1953 and was ordained by the Virginia Conference that same year.
His first appointment was as an associate minister at Clarendon Methodist in Arlington. After that, he served on the Onley-Greenbush Charge on the Eastern Shore. He served as head minister at Main Street Methodist in Emporia, Ivey Memorial Methodist in Colonial Heights, Trinity UMC in Newport News, Asbury UMC in Harrisonburg and Court Street UMC in Lynchburg.
After Completing a seminar at Luton Industrial College in England, Rev. John founded ICM in the mid-1970s. He led the organization part-time while serving as a church minister, then full time from 1979 to 1987 under a special appointment from the Virginia Conference.
In the mid-1990’s, Rev. John led several mission trips to Russia as part of the Virginia Conference Russian Initiative program. He was among many who hoped and prayed that our countries might emerge from the cold war and find ways to build a mutually advantageous cooperative relationship.
He is survived by his wife of 74 years, Mary DeLoach John; three children, David (Margie) John, Kathryn (Steven) Gardner, and Thomas (Sandy) John; six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Memorial service will be Saturday, November 2 at 1 p.m. at Greene Memorial UMC, 402 2nd St., SW, Roanoke, VA. A reception will follow in the fellowship hall.
If you would like to honor Rev. John’s memory, please consider a donation to Berea College, 101 Chestnut St., Berea, Kentucky 40403 or Greene Memorial UMC, Roanoke, VA.
