John Clarence Horner, Jr. passed away Sunday morning at home with his children by his side. Born in Hot Springs in 1934, he was the doted-upon only child of Ruth Mackey Horner and John Clarence Horner, Sr.
The places and institutions that defined his life included St. John’s Catholic Church, the Boy Scouts of America, Firestone Tires, and Arkansas State Parks, but all were second to his devotion to his family. He cherished his wife of 55 years, Faye Ivy Horner who predeceased him in 2016. They shared many travels together to their favorite destinations: Petit Jean State Park, Mountain View, Eureka Springs, Colorado, and Alaska. They raised four children together: Elizabeth Cwik (David), Nancy Horner, Jane Kellstrom (Jim), and John Clarence Horner lll (Jordan).
They built a home for their family on Music Mountain where they grew flowers & vegetables, and award-winning birdhouse gourds. He went to school at St. John’s Catholic School and Subiaco Academy where he was a Boy Scout and spent summers lifeguarding at scout camps from Maurice to Tula to Philmont. As a young husband and father, he joined the Army reserves while working at JC Penney in Arkadelphia. Always a sharp dresser, he worked as a salesman in the men’s clothing department. His favorite film was Ernst Lubitsch’s “The Shop Around the Corner” which reminded him of his early working days, and he re-watched it every year at Christmastime. A new job at Firestone brought him back to Hot Springs where he spent the rest of his career.
He was the Scoutmaster for Troop 15 for many years and shared his love for the outdoors, fishing, hunting, and hiking with his children and his scouts. He loved the music of Tammy, Loretta, and Dolly and sought out live music at the Ozark Folk Center, the Mt. Ida Front Porch concerts, and Branson whenever he could.
As life slowed down, his favorite activity was spending Wednesday evenings with his kids and grandkids outside in camp chairs looking out over the mountain with a cold Miller High Life in hand. The gathering would move inside for dinner and a roaring fire in the fireplace, no matter the weather, prompting a scramble for control of the thermostat. He stopped that with his new favorite gadget: the thermostat app on his I-pad that let him override his overheated visitors.
He was “Grandy” to six grandchildren: Olivia Kellstrom, Will Kellstrom, Isaac Cwik, Isabel Cwik, Raegan Hickam, and Harper Lea Horner.
A rosary and visitation will be held at Gross Funeral Home Thursday at 6:00 pm. The funeral Mass will be held at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Friday at 10:00. Pallbearers will be John C. Horner lll, Jim Kellstrom (firewood supplier), David Cwik, Will Kellstrom, Isaac Cwik, and Marc Hayes. Memorials may be made to St. John’s School.
The online obituary, guestbook, and memorial tribute are available at www.GrossFuneralHome.com.
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