John Ray Black

John Black was born on January 8th, 1952, at Fort Campbell Kentucky. He was the first born of John and Florence Black. As a child of the military, he moved a lot and was able to experience multiple places around the world, where he wasn’t able to make many lifelong friends. That is until he started college at Georgia Tech, where he met his “brothers” his lifelong friends who he cherished so much. With all of his travel living in different places across the world, he would find his favorite place that made him happy was anywhere on the Appalachian Trail where he was able to accomplish close to 2,000 miles of the treacherous 2,600 mile trail. If he wasn’t hiking you could find him on the golf course or the tennis court. His love for the outdoors was only surpassed by his greatest love, his family. He met the real love of his life, his soulmate Debi Wooten, in 1973 while attending Georgia Tech in Atlanta. Soon after he graduated in 1974 they would be married on December 14th 1974. He was the definition of a great man, friend, husband, father, and grandfather. He was taken from us too soon and will be missed by many. He is predeceased by his mother Florence, father John, and Father-in-law Lem Wooten. He is survived by his wife Debi, son John III, daughter Sarah Black Gombotz, son-in-law Steve Gombotz, grand-daughters Daphney and Journey of Atlanta, grandson Steven Fennell of Columbia, Step Grandchildren, Gavin, Kailey, Logan, Talon, and Liam  Gombotz (Cornelius, NC), Mother-in-law Nancy Wooten of Elgin,SC, sister Susan Barton (Billings,MT), and brother Allen (Pat) (Apex, NC) The family asks that in his memory donations be made to the Appalachian Trail Conservatory or the Michael J. Fox Foundation. Services for John will be held at Sauls Funeral home on Sunday September 15, 2024, at 2pm, with a reception to be held at River Bend Sun City at 4:15 pm.

Michael J. Fox Foundation (Parkinson's Disease)
P.O. Box 5014, Hagerstown MD 21741-5014

Appalachian Trail Conservancy
Web: https://appalachiantrail.org/