John David Yocis, Sr.

John David Yocis, Sr., passed away on Thursday, July 27, 2017 at his home in Newton, Alabama with his wife by his side.

Funeral services will be held at 2 pm on Tuesday, August 1, 2017 at the Sunset Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Shane Traylor officiating. Burial with military honors will follow in Sunset Memorial Park with Robert Byrd directing. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Tuesday from 1-2 pm.

Mr. Yocis was born on May 19, 1939 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA to Florence Eleanor Kellogg and John Simon Yocis.

John loved the Lord and had a servant’s heart. He was a member of Newton Baptist church. He served his country in the Navy, was a Boy Scout Leader, an Eagle Scout, and was a member of the Order of the Arrow. He worked with Children in Special Olympics and an Adult Day Care. John stayed active working with wood and making whirligigs, mobiles, and bird houses. He loved spending time with his family and grandchildren. He never met a stranger and was loved by everyone he met. He will be greatly missed by everyone.

John was preceded in death by his parents, his step-mother, Lucy Mary Balich, his brother, Paul Joseph Yocis, his sister, Rorrie Heather Blakeley Nunley and by his first wife, Margaret Julia Sizensky, the mother of his two oldest children.

Survivors include his wife, Margaret Tabitha Tucker Yocis; their 3 sons, Clarence Ray, David Michael and his son, Dominic, and John Yocis, Jr. and his wife, Kelly Nelson and their children, Priscilla, Tabitha, Aurora, Leo, John Yocis, III, Roy and Kahlynne; his sisters, Leslie Eleanor Yocis Schmahl and her children, Regina Alexis Blakeley and Roxanne Blakeley; his brother, Thomas Joseph Yocis and his two oldest children, David Albert Yocis and Karen Helen Yocis and her husband, Kevin Patrick Schaeffner and their children, Brittany, Kevin and Victoria; and one great-granddaughter, Olivea Walsh.

Serving as active pallbearers will be Clarence Yocis, David Yocis, John Yocis, Jr., Dominic Yocis, Leo Yocis and members of his Sunday School Class.