John C. Hancock

John Carlton Hancock has died at the age of 95 at Canterfield of Tallahassee on May 16, 2022 in Tallahassee, Florida after a lengthy struggle with arterial disease and dementia. He was born in Roanoke, Virginia to John M. and Anna G. Hancock who predeceased him.

John served in the U.S. Army during World War II. While there was not much discussion about the war, he was known to complain about the “…boat ride” on his way to Okinawa. After graduating from then Roanoke Business College, John ultimately became an insurance adjuster and worked for General Adjustment Bureau for many years. After transferring to Tampa, Florida he started his own insurance claims business with two other partners. He became known for the amusing and unorthodox way he recorded the minutes of their staff meetings. Aetna eventually bought them out and he and Jeanne, his wife, moved to Decatur, Alabama. After working for another insurance claims company there, he retired from that business.

He was a long time Master Mason and member of First United Methodist Church of Hartselle, in Hartselle, Alabama. Never one to be able to sit still, he got a job shuttling cars for the Hertz franchise in Decatur, Alabama and worked an additional fifteen years. He made many lasting friends while he worked there who appreciated his dry sense of humor and his unique views on society and world events.

In addition to his parents, John was predeceased by his wife of 68 years, Jeanne (nee Dolinger) and his sister, Anna Merrill Powell of Melbourne, Florida.

John is survived by his children, Leslee Hancock and her husband, Bruce Henderson of Tallahassee; his son and daughter-in-law Eric and Julie Hancock of Jacksonville, Florida and one grandson, Johnathan Anderson of Huntsville, Alabama. He is also survived by two nieces, Jan Powell of Tampa, Florida, and Teresa Wedoff of Chicago; and two nephews, David Powell of Yakima, Washington, and Steve Powell of Tampa, and a special nephew Ralph Paisley of Salt Lake City, Utah, as well as many other nieces and nephews on his wife’s side.

Memorial service will be at 2:00 PM on May 25, 2022 with interment following at The National Cemetery in Tallahassee. The family extends thanks the staffs of Canterfield, Hopewell, and Big Bend Hospice for their care and concern during his last two years.

Memorial contributions may be made in his honor to Big Bend Hospice in Tallahassee, Florida.