John Marshall Thacker

John Marshall Thacker, 43, of Ocala, Florida died suddenly on Sunday, June 29. John was a graduate of St. Francis de Sales High School (Toledo, Ohio) and the College of Central Florida in Ocala. John was a Registered Nurse and was nearing completion of his Master of Science in Nursing degree at the University of Jacksonville, preparing to become a Nurse Practitioner with a specialty in psychiatric nursing. His plan was to work with those who, like himself, struggled with addiction and mental illness. Always popular with his peers, John was smart and quick-witted, a life-long character. In grade school he was often incapable of hiding his well-honed sense of humor, much to the chagrin of his teachers. He was practiced at shirking homework, relying on his native intelligence to get good grades while doing the bare minimum. Teachers always began parent conferences with “I love John but ...”, after which followed a description of John’s latest shenanigans. John could laugh at himself, and he was a master at getting others to laugh at themselves. But John’s best and truest trait was his good heart. He was out-going, kind and fun to be around. He was always the guy who would befriend the new kid in the class or involve a shy person in activities. And John was always there to help others. He was blessed with many true and loyal friends. After suffering the ravages of addiction for over a decade, John became sober in 2015. He promptly obtained his college degree, started on his advanced degree, got a job in a nationally-renowned drug rehabilitation center, purchased a home, got married and had a beautiful baby girl, our beloved Winnie. He helped dozens of people get sober in his work at the rehabilitation center and in the community. Perhaps most remarkably, John shocked everyone when he proved to be “handy” around the house, a trait never before demonstrated by any Thacker male in his lineage. All of these accomplishments are a tribute to John’s intellect, resilience and fortitude. John is survived by his wife Jennan and his precious daughter Winslow (Ocala); his mother Pamela and his father Joe (Naples); his brother, Sam and sister, Kate (both of Columbus, Ohio); and a close-knit extended family of aunts, uncles, and cousins, all of whom will miss him deeply. There are in the end three things that last: faith, hope and love, and the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13. A Celebration of Life will be held from 9 a.m. to noon on July 13, 2025, at The Stage at Sholom Park, 7110 SW 80th Avenue, Ocala.

John Marshall Thacker

November 29, 1981 - June 29, 2025