On September 6, 2020, we lost a piece of our hearts. John David Edenfield was called home to be with his Lord, and has left us to mourn the loss of our precious husband, daddy, son and brother.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00am on Friday, September 11, 2020, in the Gymnasium of TyTy’s First Baptist Church in TyTy, GA with Rev. Rodney Owens and Rev. Brian Allen officiating. Eulogy will be given by Junior Horton. Following, we will lay his earthly body to rest in the TyTy First Baptist Church cemetery. The family will receive friends on Thursday, September 10, 2020, from 7:00-9:00p.m. at Albritton Funeral Directors.
A special First Responder processional will begin prior to the service. The family asks that if you would like to view the processional, to please remain in your vehicles at the church upon arrival.
Some of his very special friends in life will serve as pall bearers and carry him through: John Brannen, Sam Branch, Justin Smith, Ryan Pritchard, Carson Tapp, Mark Courson, Aaron Riojas, and Matthew Smith.
John was born July 3, 1982, at Shallowford Community Hospital in DeKalb County, GA to Bo and Wanda Edenfield.
With the teachings and guidance of his parents and loving church family at TyTy First Baptist Church, John accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior and was saved by grace and made a public profession of faith by baptism at a young age.
One of John’s greatest passions in life was hunting. At an early age, he began to watch as his Daddy would wake in the early morning and don his multiple layers of camo, and would often ask to tag along. After spending many days in the woods, he perfected his craft, and looked forward to going to the hunting camp with his Daddy on each hunting season’s opening day. He cherished this precious time with his Daddy, and looked forward to the day of taking his daughters hunting, and creating those same memories with them. The lessons taught in those early years would lead John to become the man that we all loved dearly.
His daddy was his best friend, and his mama was his confidant. There was never a problem too big or too small for his mama. He trusted her judgement, and valued her listening ear, and was a true mama’s boy. She taught him the patience that made him the gentle man he was.
Another pastime that brought him great joy was fishing. He was always looking forward to his next fishing trip to Mexico Beach with his dear friend, Justin Smith. The conversations shared on the boat with his friends were some of the greatest of his time, and he felt so fortunate to have a band of brothers to share those memories with.
He obtained his Firefighter 1 and Firefighter 2 Certifications. A graduate of Valdosta Technical College, he earned an Associate’s Degree in Paramedicine, and took pride in his career and the people who received his care.
He lived a life of service to his community. In February of 2001, he would begin to fulfill his youthful desire, and become a Firefighter for the Tift County Fire Department. Years after, his heart led him to pursue Emergency Medical Training. He became an EMT, and finished his career as a proud Paramedic for Tift County Fire/Rescue. John gave immense efforts to publicly serving his community as a first responder, and took his duty very seriously, leaving a lasting impression on everyone he encountered. He had such empathy for every patient he treated, and was a local and honorable hero. He was our hero!
The friends that surrounded John over the years are countless. He was loved and respected by everyone he knew. From his childhood friends, whom he grew up in church and played recreational ball with, to his brothers and sisters in uniform with whom he selflessly served, he loved them individually and savored each of their friendships.
John was a dedicated Georgia Bulldogs, Atlanta Braves, and Boston Red Sox fan and looked forward to having friends come over to grill and watch the game with him on the weekends. While away from the woods, he loved to sit outside by the fire surrounded by the people he loved.
In 2008, John became a Daddy for the first time. Elizabeth Grace and Ashton opened his eyes to love in a way he had never before known. It was one of his greatest joys to be a father.
In 2012, his life forever changed as he met the love of his life, his partner in everything, Whitney. The love and happiness that they shared was more than some people experience in a whole lifetime. They were married for almost four wonderful years, and made the most out of their eight years together. They shared so many similar interests and were always planning their next adventure away. Their love for music made for many fun days full of concerts and lots of late-night dancing in the kitchen.
A product of their unwavering love was two of his world’s greatest gifts, Carolina Kennedy and Presley Reid, who brought immeasurable joy to his every day. His daughters were the closest reflection of God’s love for him. He enjoyed every minute of his time with his girls, taking them to Daddy/Daughter dances, driving them to the woods, spending the afternoons fishing, and teaching them about life.
In addition to adding Whitney to his family, he gained the most precious mother-in-law, father-in-law, and brother-in-law there is, and loved Ricky, Fay, and Adam dearly. John often said, “My mother and my mother-in-law: How I deserved two of the biggest saints in the world to love me, I’ll never know.”
John was the family’s laughter, lightening the mood always. He taught us to smile through the times of pain. To those of us who knew him best, John was a tender-hearted man, and often had a way with words. He was a jokester, often swapping gag gifts at Christmas, and hiding all of the Christmas candy before anyone else noticed it was there. He was a story-teller and had something to say about every person he knew. He left a little mark of himself everywhere he went, and if you were close to John, you also have a story to tell about him.
John was a family man. He was devoted son to his parents, Bo and Wanda. His mama’s baby boy and his daddy’s best friend. After ten years of being a family of four, John surprised his family and joined the world, making them a family of five. He cared deeply for his two sisters, Lisa and Kim. Thirteen and ten years his senior, the compassion they had for their baby brother was unique. He looked up to them in different ways and admired their love for him. He loved his brothers-in-law, Kevin and Adam, and was a special friend to them both. He was a fun and loving uncle to his nieces, Kayla and Mary, and was a role model to his only nephew, Kyle, and loved them well.
We find comfort in knowing he has now been reunited in heaven with his grandparents, Frank and Louise Edenfield, and Clarence and Mary Gay Whitley. Since her passing, he spoke many times about how he hoped his Granny Wheezie would be waiting at the gates for him when he arrived, and we feel peace that she was indeed awaiting his arrival.
John wanted everyone to know that it’s what you do with the dash, how you live your life on earth, that truly counts. John lived his 38 years joyfully, he lived his dash, and we look forward to the day that we see him face to face again, when we go home!
John is survived by his wife, Whitney Wood Edenfield of Norman Park; his four daughters, Carolina Edenfield of Norman Park, Ashton Bolton of Valdosta, Elizabeth Edenfield of Valdosta and Presley Edenfield of Norman Park; his father and mother, Bo and Wanda Edenfield of Tifton; two sisters and brother-in-law, Lisa Braski of TyTy and Kim and Kevin Robinson of Tifton; his mother-in-law and father-in-law, Ricky and Fay Wood of Moultrie; brother-in-law, Adam Wood of Norman Park; two nieces, Kayla Smith and husband Michael and Mary Braski; one nephew, Kyle Robinson and great niece, “Princess” McKenna Smith.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Wounded Warrior’s Project, 4899 Belfort Road Suite 300, Jacksonville, Florida, 32256.
Albritton Funeral Directors is in charge of the arrangements.
Thursday, September 10, 2020
7:00 - 9:00 pm (Eastern time)
Albritton Funeral Directors
Friday, September 11, 2020
Starts at 11:00 am (Eastern time)
First Baptist Church Ty Ty
Friday, September 11, 2020
First Baptist Church of TyTy Cemetery
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