John Joseph Painter, Jr.

John Joseph Painter Jr. went to God June 21, 2014 at his home with family surrounding him. He waged a long courageous battle with leukemia and though he lost his life, won the war as he is with God. He was born January 20, 1951, the number one son of John Joseph Painter and Beatrice Castillo Painter who preceded him in death along with an infant brother Paul Curtis Painter. John’s eight other siblings Christina Painter, Mark Painter, Barry Painter, Bill Painter, Dorothy Painter, Allen Painter, Bruce Painter and Carol Painter Bruno will miss our number one Painter’s love, light, leadership, guidance and passion for life. He leaves 23 nieces and nephews, 22 great nieces and nephews and one great, great, nephew to miss their Uncle John. He also leaves his beloved cats which he referred to as his daughters, Jeanne, Erica and Mattie. John will be missed by many friends whom he considered his extended family and he loved dearly.

John attended McNeese State University in Lake Charles, La. He followed in his father’s footsteps and joined the family business of general construction. He nurtured his artistic nature by attending the Museum of Fine Arts, Glassell School of Art, in Houston, TX. His principal mentors and instructors included Arthur Turner, Charlotte Ford Cosgrove, Patrick Palmer, Brian Portman and Arielle Mason. He was a member of Lawndale Art & Performance Center, the Visual Arts Alliance, Houston Center for Photography and the Arts Alliance Center Clear Lake. His works are a mix of media incorporating photography, drawing and painting. John’s work appeared in group and individual exhibitions throughout Texas.

The family wishes to give thanks to the nursing staff on the 16th floor of M.D. Anderson’s leukemia unit for the kindness, compassion and great care given to John.

A celebration of life will be hosted at Kingwood Country Club, 1700 Lake Kingwood Trail, Kingwood, TX on Saturday July 5, 2014, from 4-8 pm. Interment will be at the family plot in Highland Memory Gardens, 6325 Gulf Highway, Lake Charles, LA July 6, 2014 at 10:30 am.

An Irish Funeral Prayer

Death is nothing at all.

It does not count.

I have only slipped away into the next room.

Everything remains as it was.

The old life that we lived so fondly together is untouched, unchanged.

Whatever we were to each other, that we are still.

Call me by the old familiar name.

Speak of me in the easy way which you always used.

Put no sorrow in your tone.

Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes that we enjoyed together.

Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.

Let my name be ever the household word that it always was.

Let it be spoken without effort

Life means all that it ever meant. It is the same as it ever was.

There is unbroken continuity.

Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?

I am but waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near, just around the corner.

All is well. Nothing is hurt; nothing is lost.

One brief moment and all will be as it was before.

How we shall laugh at the trouble of parting, when we meet again.