John Carroll Hamby, Sr.,  70, of Stoneville, passed away peacefully  Wednesday morning, February 15, 2017, at his home after a hard-fought battle with lung cancer.

A funeral service will be held at 2 PM on Sunday, February 19, at Fair Funeral Home Chapel. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service (1 - 2 PM) at Fair Funeral Home and other times at the residence. Burial will follow in Ridgeview Memorial Gardens. Military rites will be performed by the NC National Guard and the Rock. Co. Veteran's Honor Guard.  

John was born June 20, 1946 in Tazewell, VA to the late Carl and Beatrice Seals Hamby. His dad passed away at a young age and John moved to Kannapolis and was raised by his aunt. He attended A. L. Brown High School in Kannapolis, NC  and Wilkes Comm. College. He married his high school sweetheart on Oct. 2, 1965, Judy, and was drafted into the US Army in Dec. 1965. He served his country in the Vietnam War. Upon honorable discharge, he attended UNC- Chapel Hill for N.C. Highway Patrolman School, and relocated his family to Wilkes Co. He served in the Patrol for 10 years. He later transferred and moved back to Kannapolis. He eventually moved to Stoneville, NC and later retired from Miller Brewing Company, where he served as Union Steward for Teamsters.  John will be deeply missed by those who knew him. He was full of wisdom and never missed an opportunity to help others.  He was a member of Woodbine Baptist Church in Mayodan.

He is survived by his wife, Judy Burleson Hamby of the home;  son, Johnny Hamby, Jr. and wife, Cathy of Asheboro;  daughter, Jamie LeAnn Hamby of Stoneville;  10 grandchildren, John William Hamby, Josh Hamby, Jason Hamby, Jaden Graves, Autumn Hamby, Lauren "Elbie" France, Liam France, Breanna Hamby, Victoria Hamby and Katie Hamby;  brothers, Frankie Hamby and wife, Linda of Salisbury and Carl Hamby and wife, Stella of China Grove;  and sister, Dottie Combs of Kannapolis.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his son, Christopher Jerome Hamby and brother, Roger Hamby.

Online condolences may be offered to the family at www.fairfuneralhome.com