John Alan England

John Alan England of Marietta, Georgia passed away April 25th, 2024, at the age of 70. John, son of Helen and Joseph passed away in his home in Marietta after a four-year battle with pancreatic cancer. He was beloved by many, most of all his wife of almost 48 years, Joni; his children Laurie, John, and Chris and his grandchildren Carter and Addison. He is also remembered by his brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews. John was born in New York where he and Joni met in elementary school. They married in 1976. He worked hard to pay for his education and was one of the first to be certified in the burgeoning field of respiratory therapy. John worked as a respiratory therapist at Northside Hospital in Atlanta for 25 years before his passion for patient care and education brought him to a health education role at Kaiser Permanente. His dedication to education led him to earn a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in respiratory therapy. He went on to inspire respiratory students while teaching at Georgia State University as well as lecturing at Dobbins Air Force Base on transporting the injured. John was a very involved parent and grandparent and at times was a coach, chaperone, teacher, community leader, volunteer and Scoutmaster. He loved the outdoors and hiking on Georgia’s many trails. His greatest passion was his family and he loved spending time with them, particularly on a Disney cruise. He felt immense joy from being a grandfather. He was kind, quick with a joke and always generous. He will be greatly missed. John agreed with Walt Disney’s sentiment when he said, “When I am dead, I don’t want a funeral, I want people to remember me alive.” To honor his feelings, no public memorial will be held. Instead, John’s family would love for you to share a favorite memory of him below. John was a dedicated blood donor throughout his life. If you wish to honor his memory, please consider donating blood or plasma, or to a cause that is important to you.