John William Hancock of Lafayette, LA, formerly of Zachary, LA, passed into glorious eternity with Jesus Christ on May 17, 2020. He was 95 years old.

A veteran of World War II (Navy) and a Past Master Mason, Mr. Hancock proudly served his Lord, country, family, friends, and community.

John was born on May 27, 1924 in Monterey, LA to Ray Hancock and Mary Elizabeth Barker Hancock (Hughes).  He and his older brother Odis spent their early years on their grandfather Barker's Concordia parish plantation until the historic Mississippi River flood in 1927.  John moved with his grandparents, mother and brother to Natchez, MS where he grew up. He greatly admired his stepfather, Charlie Hughes, who had come into his life after the move.  On the morning of December 8, 1941, Mr. Hancock was outside his local Navy recruiting office before it opened.  At age 17, he left New Orleans on a train bound for San Diego, CA, where he attended Signalman school.  He served in the Pacific Theater and achieved his highest rank of Signalman 2 ^nd Class while supporting Marine landing parties through seven island invasions.   John was awarded a Purple Heart Medal and a Bronze Star Medal.

Honorably discharged in May 1945, John returned to Natchez and to his work with Natchez Printing Co. as a printer.  He met Velma Temple and they were married in October 1945.  John enjoyed mathematics and was self-taught in the basics of land surveying after reading books.  Later, he joined Western Geophysical and worked throughout the United States and in parts of Canada and Mexico.  His offshore assignments included sections of the eastern seaboard of the US and the Gulf of Mexico.  After twenty years of seismic oil and gas exploration, he retired in the mid-1960s.

The Hancocks settled in Zachary, LA where he began a second career developing real estate.  John and Velma were members of Trinity Methodist Protestant Church of Baker, LA where he helped to build the church facility.  An apartment complex and Oak Park subdivision were some of his other favorite projects.  He found a lasting brotherhood with his fellow Masons in Plains Lodge #135 in Zachary and served as their Worshipful Master in 1971.  John also helped to charter Slaughter Lodge #475.

John and Velma enjoyed traveling the United States during his second retirement.  When she became ill, John was her primary caregiver.  They were married for sixty-one years.  At her death in 2006, he moved to Summit, MS to be near in-laws Mel & Dolores Ratcliff.  His years there were spent visiting with them and their large extended family.  He enjoyed riding in his golf cart accompanied by Duke, his canine friend, to check on neighbors.

In 2015, John moved to Natchez once again and made many dear friends as a resident of Magnolia Village Assisted Living.  He moved to Lafayette, LA in October 2019 to be near a niece and nephew.

He is preceded in death by his father Ray Hancock, mother Elizabeth Barker Hancock Hughes, stepfather Charlie Hughes, and wife of 61 years Velma Temple Hancock.

John is survived by his cousins, Curtis Barker of Vidalia, LA and J.L. Barker and his family of Jena, LA.  Also left to fondly remember him is nephew Bob G. Hall of Natchez, MS and a niece and her husband, Ray and Lisa Goforth of Lafayette, LA, along with numerous nieces and nephews throughout the United States.

A graveside service will be held at Middleton Creek Primitive Baptist Church, 240 Hancock Road, Meadville, MS on Wednesday, May 20, 2020 at 11:00 AM.  Pastor Rick McAlister, Mr. Hancock's former pastor and friend, will officiate and vocalist Caitlyn Barker will sing God Bless America and Amazing Grace as requested by her cousin.