John William Nunley
John William Nunley was born in Gary, Indiana on March 11, 1929, to James and Edith Nunley. He went to be with his Lord on the morning of June 16, 2025, at the age of 96.
When John was four-years-old, his family returned to Terre Haute, Indiana, and in these early days, his father would tragically die, making him the man of the house. This event during his formative years would mark him incredibly, including the building of a striking work ethic.
In 1946, at the age of 17, he joined the United States Marine Corps, serving two years, and receiving an honorable discharge in 1948. He married Elizabeth (Bettie), who would become his wife of 75 years, in 1949. He graduated from Rose Hulman Polytechnical Institute with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, becoming a Professional Engineer in 1953. He moved to Michigan to work for The Detroit Edison Company. He spent his 35-year work career honing his skills in the Relay Department, Power Plants, and the Electrical Engineering Groups. His many career accomplishments culminated in what would be his greatest – the promotion to supervisor of the electrical engineering team that constructed the Enrico Fermi II Nuclear Power plant (1968 – 1988).
In his own words, he said, “moving to a large city game me an uncomfortable and uneasy feeling. I was concerned for my family and their future; would they be safe? How would my children turn out? What about their schooling? Marriage? I wondered what is life? what is life all about? What was my goal in life supposed to be? As I sought my fortune, I enjoyed the pleasures of life – but I was not satisfied.”
He and Bettie decided that their daughter, Susan, needed to be in church. They tried several churches but none of them gave them any satisfaction. John said that he rode the bus to work every day, and the route passed The First Baptist Church of Lincoln Park. He thought they should try that church, and here is where he heard the Gospel and trusted Jesus Christ as his Savior.
From that point on, his outlook on life changed. He began reading the Bible daily. Through the Word, God gave him promises like, “I will never leave thee or forsake thee”, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”, “Be anxious for nothing”. God changed his life from one of fear and uncertainty to one of peace. His purpose became to honor God in everything he did.
John would become an active member of every church he attended, whether it was in Michigan, Florida, South Carolina, or Pennsylvania. He was a fervent prayer warrior and a faithful witness for the cause of Christ.
He is survived by his faithful and devoted bride of 75 years, Elizabeth (Bettie) Nunley. He was the loving Dad/Daddy to daughters Susan (Ken) Fisher and Kathleen (Robert) Kern. He was Grandpa/Pap to six grandchildren: Troy Fisher, Taryn (Tyler) Moran, Lauren Kern, Brittany (Tory) Martin, Chelsea (Joel) Crews, and Robert (Kayli) Kern. And he was Great Grandpa to seven! Kaedyn Fisher, Hadley Fisher, Declan Moran, Diem Moran, Ruxin Moran, Skylar Crews, and Chloe Crews. He also leaves behind two half-brothers, Gerald and Ronald Denton.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his stepfather Gerald Denton, his beloved sister Norma Jean Long, his two precious daughters, Diane and Janet, and granddaughter Kylene Fisher.
His home-going service will be Saturday, June 21, 2025, at Community Bible Church. The viewing will be from 10 – 12 pm with the service immediately following. His internment will at Michigan Memorial Park in Flat Rock, Michigan.
Professional services have been entrusted to McConnell Funeral Home, 447 Pine St., Hookstown, PA.
