John H. Needy, 80, of Louisville, died Sunday, November 22, 2009 at the Masonic Home. John was the only child of John H. Needy, Sr. and Anna Kaiser Needy, who predeceased him in death.
He attended Flaget High School and was a creative man of many talents and skills. He began his career as an electrician at Southern Electric before working at L&N Railroad. He then went to work with his dad as a maintenance electrician at Ford Motor Company, where he retired in 1984 after 30 years. While retired, John worked for 10 years as a deputy in the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
John loved life and was a great storyteller of his many adventures. His family will miss such stories as his swimming the Ohio River, exploring the city with his dad in a flat boat during the 1937 flood, learning to drive when he was 12. As an adult, he learned to fly and owned his own airplane. He and his wife were avid campers and enjoyed traveling in their RV. The family loved playing at their camp on Nolin Lake. Whenever his children needed help, he was always right there to lend a hand building decks, driving the backhole for landscaping, remodeling houses, rebuilding engines.
John is survived by his sweetheart, Dorothy Gill Needy, who ruled his heart for 65 years after they met at Fountain Ferry skating rink. They recently celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary. For most of the last fifteen years John exemplified his wedding vows as provided loving and vital care for Dorothy after her stroke.
In addition to his wife, Dorothy, he is survived by two daughters, Rita Williams (Bo) and Linda Johnson (Terry), and three sons, John (Hillary), Mark (Janet) and David (Marsha). He has thirteen grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren. He will be sorely missed by his family and many friends.
John was a life-long Catholic and longtime member of St. Rita Church. In 1978, he joined Masonic Progress Lodge 932, which he served as master on three occasions.
The family wishes to acknowledge and thank the nurses and aides at the Masonic Home for their professional, compassionate and personal care provided for John.
Visitation will be at Owen Funeral Home – Jeffersontown, 9318 Taylorsville Road on Tuesday, November 24, 2009 from 2:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. with a Masonic prayer service at 7:00 p.m. There will be a Catholic communion service at the funeral home on Wednesday, November 25th at 10:30 A.M., followed by entombment at Louisville Memorial Gardens – East.
Expressions of sympathy can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.