John Medford

JOHN M. MEDFORD Waynesville, John Manson Medford, age 47, of 172 Round Top Road, passed away on Tuesday, August 10, 2010 at his residence following a six-year battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. A native of Haywood County, he was a 1981 graduate of Tuscola High School and attended Western Carolina University. Before developing ALS, John worked as a foreman for Benchmark Builders of Waynesville. His fellow carpenters and builders enjoyed his affable leadership style and respected his craftsmanship. While in his early twenties, John developed a passion for golf. One of the highlights of his golfing career came when he, along with a group of local friends and golfers, went to Scotland to play at St. Andrews, the home of golf. As a golfer, John won numerous local tournaments, including several Cuz Cup titles at Laurel Ridge and several Member-Guest titles at Biltmore Forest Country Club. Throughout his life, John was known for his sharp wit and friendly smile. At any social gathering, John could be found entertaining friends and family with his humorous stories and commentaries. After developing ALS, John participated in the Catfish Hunter ALS Chapter's Walkathon in Charlotte, NC. His team, Team Medford, raised over $30, 000 in donations from the local community. These funds went to the ALS chapter for researching a cure for the disease and treatment of ALS patients. John is survived by his parents, Roger Boyd and Nancy Jones Medford; his wife of 23 years, Kathryn Van Noppen Medford; his children, John Medford and Nancy Medford, both of the home, and Alex Medford who is currently attending Appalachian State University; two sisters, Kathy Wyatt and her husband, Keith, and Jane Nicholson and her husband, Nick, of Waynesville; one brother, Bo Medford and his wife, Angie, of Waynesville; mother-in-law, Melissa Jones Van Noppen, also of Waynesville; and sister-in-laws, Hélén VN Cox and husband, Bill, and Melissa VN Sanford and husband, Phil, all of Georgia; and four nieces and five nephews. Private interment will be held at Boyd Family Cemetery. A memorial service will follow at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, August 13, 2010 at First United Methodist Church of Waynesville with Reverend Sanford L. Giles and Michael Blackburn, Youth Pastor, officiating. A reception will be held at the Waynesville Country Club Inn immediately following the service where the family will greet friends. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent to the ALS Care Fund, 1010 Edgehill Road North, Charlotte, NC 28207. Wells Funeral Homes & Cremation Services of Waynesville is in charge of arrangements. For those who desire, an on-line memorial register is available at "Obituaries" at "www.wellsfuneralhome.com"

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