Johnny Franklin Swilley Jr., 63, of Patterson, passed away Sunday, March 30, 2025, in Atlanta, where he was receiving treatment for lymphoma. He went to the Lord peacefully with loving family by his side.
He was born August 30, 1961, in Sarasota, Florida, 29 years after his father was born on the same day. He graduated from Riverview High School in 1979 and worked as a glazier (Sarasota Glass and Mirror, Nilsen Glass and Mirror, and Lee and Cates Glass) for almost 30 years before taking disability retirement. He took great pride in his work and was known for his expertise and craftsmanship.
He also knew how to have fun both on and off the job — a prankster who loved to tease in a good-natured way. His laugh, like his mother’s, was infectious, and he often laughed until he cried. He was an avid outdoorsman, hunting and fishing from a young age. He made lasting memories with friends and family at Ocala National Forest and Lake Istokpoga in Florida.
A lifelong learner, he mastered many hobbies in his later years: photography, 3D architectural design, building small-scale World War II models, woodworking, engraving and genealogy. He traipsed around many old cemeteries to take photographs of headstones for strangers seeking relatives online. He was good to his family and friends. He helped without hesitation no matter how big or small the request — from hauling a moving trailer hundreds of miles on countles occasions, to opening his home to family for extended periods in times of need, designing and building decks, cutting sugar cane and stirring syrup as it cooked. He got along with everyone and did not have a mean bone in his body. He will be greatly missed by those who knew and loved him.
Survivors include his sister, Julianne Swilley Whisnant, Atlanta and brother, Jeffrey Carl Swilley (Fely), Waycross, Gene Bridges (Kathy), Patterson and Lisa Fisher (Mike), Waycross became John’s brother and sister when Sarah Rhodes married John’s father in 1986. John was predeceased by his mother, Jacqueline Trautwein Swilley (1986), and father, Johnny Franklin Swilley (2015). While he never married or had children of his own, he was a devoted uncle to Julianne’s children (Katherine and Audrey) and Gene and Kathy’s children, Katherine “Katie” Bridges Hiers (Mike, Jamie and Stephen) and Kassie Bridges, who will forever remember the antics of their beloved “Uncle Mess.”
Sympathy may be expressed by signing the online register at www.pearsondial.com.
Pearson-Dial Funeral Home of Blackshear is in charge of local arrangements.
