John McCray Weathers, Jr., 84, passed peacefully away at his home on 19 January 2025.

Funeral services will be held 11:00 AM Tuesday, January 21, 2024 at Wightman Methodist Church in Bowman, SC. Burial will follow at the Bowman Memorial Cemetery in Bowman, SC.

Pallbearers will be Bardin Stevenson, Jackson West, Trey Weathers, Curt Ott, Marty Connelly, Frank Quattlebaum, John Felder, and Timmy Judy.

Visitation will be Monday evening from 5:00-8:00 PM at Bryant Funeral Home in St George.

John was born 12 January 1941 in Bowman, the only child of John McCray Weathers, Sr. and Ruth Rena Fralix Weathers.  He was a 1959 graduate of Bowman High School and a 1963 graduate of Newberry College. While at Newberry, he was a member of The Blue Key Honor Society, and 1962-63 Student Body President.

He did post-graduate work at the University of South Carolina, Claflin College, and earned his Masters in Education from South Carolina State University.

Following college, John embarked on a career in teaching that spanned 31 years. He taught and coached at Bluffton High, Cameron High, Norway High, Hunter-Kinard High, and ended his public school career with 18 years at Edisto High School. After retiring, he spent 10 years with Farmers & Merchants Bank of South Carolina as a loan officer. In later years he taught a few classes at Bowman Academy and Clarendon Hall Academy.

His professional accolades include being inducted into The South Carolina Athletic Coaches Hall of Fame in 1999, former member of The South Carolina High School League Executive Committee, past president of The South Carolina Athletic Coaches Association, Head Coach of the South Team for the 1969 North-South AllStar Game, Assistant Coach for The Shrime Bowl of the Carolinas 1983, and over 150 career wins as a high school football coach.

He was an active member of Wightman Methodist Church. He delighted in his family, especially his grandchildren; he also enjoyed the farm, his vegetable garden, watching Clemson football, and his animals - especially his dog, Wrangler

Surviving him are his wife of 53 years, Rachel Patrick Weathers, of the home. Three sons, John Woodrow “Woody” Weathers (Rad Slough) of Ellijay, Ga; Wallace Patrick (Julie) Weathers of Anderson, SC; and William Fralix (Joy) Weathers of Lexington, SC. Five grandchildren, Jillian W. Weathers and Grant M. Weathers of Anderson, SC; John D. “JD” Weathers of Springfield, Va; Taylor Driggers and Landon Driggers of Lexington, SC. Brother-in-law, Terrell W. Stevenson; and one nephew, Bardin (Allison) Stevenson.

He was predeceased by his parents and his sister-in-law, Trudy Patrick Stevenson.

Memorials may be made to Wightman Methodist Church at PO Box 187, Bowman, SC 29018

The family would like to thank the nurses and staff of Amedisys Hospice Care.

Bryant Funeral Home in St. George, SC are in charge of the arrangements.