John J. Prior Jr., of Brunswick, Ohio, passed away February 20, 2022. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio on March 19, 1937, to the late John J. Sr., & Catherine J. (Joyce) Prior.
John graduated from St. Edward High School, Lakewood, OH, in 1955. He proudly served in law enforcement in the US Air Force from 1956 to 1960. One of the first students to enroll in a new week-end college program, he graduated from Baldwin-Wallace College in 1984. After spending 45 years as a bank examiner with the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland & the Ohio Division of Financial institutions, he retired in March 2003.
While raising his family in Hinckley, OH, John served as president of Hinckley Chamber of Commerce and treasurer of Our Savior Lutheran Church. He was instrumental in the restoration of the original Hinckley library building, development of Bronger’s Park, and planning for the Hinckley sesquicentennial celebration. John was an avid reader, an amateur photographer, and he especially enjoyed indoor target shooting.
John liked to joke that he was glad he retired so that he had time available for volunteer activities. In Dublin, OH, he was a volunteer coordinator & event photographer. He previously volunteered with the Brunswick Police Department. He served on the Honor Guard, was Americanism Chairman and Chaplain with the Brunswick American Legion Post 234. He also interviewed, selected & mentored students for Boys/Girls State. John also served as a Veteran Volunteer with Hospice of Medina County & created the pinning program for veterans at Hospice.
Survivors include his loving wife, Emily J. (Pastoret); daughters, Susan Prior of Hinckley and Catherine Prior of Brunswick; stepdaughters, Janet (Bill) Burns of Medina and Jane (Dr. Kenelm) McCormick of Brunswick; step-son-in-law, Bryan Silkey of Cuyahoga Falls; six step-grandchildren, Brittany Tallos, Blake Tallos, Alex Burns, Jonathan (Melissa) Burns, Savanna Garrett, and Devin Garrett, step-great-grandson, Colten Burns; brothers-in-law, William (Linda) Ney and Raymond (Sharon) Ney’ and several nieces and nephews.
John was preceded in death by his first wife, Joyce L. (Ney) Prior and stepdaughter, Jill (Tallos) Silkey.
Please join the family for a celebration of life service at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 19, 2022, at POPE Church, 3355 Medina Rd., Medina, Ohio. (Also live streaming on YouTube.com Search for: Prince of Peace Lutheran Church Medina Ohio.)
A private internment ceremony with full Military Honors will be held Friday, March 18th at 10:45 a.m. at Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery in Seville.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in John’s name can be made to Prince of Peace Evangelical Church, 3355 Medina Road, Medina, Ohio 44256, or Hospice Medina County-Hospice of the Western Reserve, 5075 Windfall Road, Medina, Ohio, 44256.
Bollinger Funeral Services is assisting the family. www.bollingerfuneral.com