John Carl Held

John is survived by his wife, Sara J. (“Pat”) Held of Raleigh; sister, Shirley H. Stephens of Orlando, FL; daughter Carol H. Weaver (Herb) of Savannah, GA; daughter Nancy H. Davis (Wes) of Oak Ridge, NC; daughter Sara D. (“Sally”) Held of Raleigh, NC; and three grandchildren: Anna Davis; Christopher Weaver; and John Davis.

John was born to Anna L. and John C. Held, Sr., on November 4, 1926 in Washington D.C. John grew up in the D.C. area, and his interests in Acoustical Engineering began early as he served as his high school Stage Manager and Sound Director. John enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1944, and he was called into active duty in the WWII relief troops of occupied Germany and England. While in Bremen, John volunteered with the local Armed Forces radio service as Programmer and Announcer. Following an honorable discharge, John graduated from The George Washington University with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering in 1952. He was inducted into the Sigma Tau Honorary Engineering Fraternity and the Theta Tau Professional Engineering Fraternity while studying at George Washington.

Working in the D.C. area, John met the love of his life, Sara (“Pat”), and they were married in 1952. They celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary this past September.

Before establishing his own sales/consultant engineering business in Raleigh, NC, John worked for The National Bureau of Standards; The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory; and The General Radio Company. While working for The General Radio Company in Orlando, FL, John especially enjoyed his work in instrumentation for the NASA Space Programs.

John strongly believed in supporting and participating in professional engineering organizations and was a life-time member and past Chairman of the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE); The Acoustical Society of America (ASA); and The Instrument Society of America (ISA).

As a young adult, John began a life-long commitment to Free Masonry. He held dual membership to Wm. R. Singleton-Hope-Lebanon Lodge #7 in Washington D.C. and James B. Green Lodge in Raleigh, NC. In 2019, John was recognized for his 70 years of service as a Master Mason.

John enjoyed his life-long hobby of “playing with model trains”, but was especially interested in live steam trains. He enjoyed many trips with friends aboard famous scenic railways of North America. He was a long-time member of the Neuse River Valley Model Railroad Club where he enjoyed fellowship with fellow train enthusiasts.

John was also blessed through over 60 years of annual beach trips with beloved life-long friends The Meissner Family , The Vest Family, and The Diehl Family.

The Held family joined Benson Memorial United Methodist Church when they moved to Raleigh in 1972. Benson Memorial holds a special place in the entire Held family’s hearts thanks to the many dear servants of God they have worshipped with through the years.

The Held family gives special thanks to Brighton Gardens of Raleigh and LifeCare Transitions for their special care. Special recognition to Care Manager, Lucille, of Brighton Gardens of Raleigh for always going above and beyond our greatest expectations.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Benson Memorial United Methodist Church 4706 Creedmoor Rd., Raleigh, NC 27612; LifeCare Transitions, 250 Hospice Circle, Raleigh, NC 27607; or The American Heart Association.

A Celebration of John’s Life formal service to be announced for a later date