‘Outstanding public servant’: Joe John, longtime Raleigh lawmaker and former judge, dies
North Carolina state Rep. Joe John, a longtime Raleigh lawmaker and former judge, died on Wednesday.
John had only just resigned his District 40 House seat in the General Assembly days earlier, as he announced Sunday that his throat cancer was terminal and he was focused on spending time with his family. He was 85.
In his statement then, he wrote that he hoped his legacy would be “one of dedication to the common good — working to build bridges, advocate for the voiceless, and fight for justice.”
On Wednesday, John’s family wrote on Facebook that it was “with profound sadness and deep gratitude for his life, we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, and grandfather, Representative Joe John Sr. After a courageous battle with cancer, he passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family.”
Former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper said Wednesday that his “friend Joe John has been a courageous champion for everyday people as a lawyer, Judge, Crime Lab Director and legislator.”
“I pray for his family and loved ones, knowing he has made a real difference for so many,” Cooper wrote on social media.
John’s family, including his wife, Evelyn, and children Steffi, Andy and Joe, described him as a “dedicated statesman who selflessly committed decades of his life to serving the people of North Carolina, leaving an enduring legacy in public service.
“His dedication to justice, fairness, and improving the lives of others touched countless people, and his work will be remembered for generations to come. However, the title he held most dear was ‘Pa,’ a role in which he truly shined with adoration and devotion,” they wrote.
Democratic Gov. Josh Stein said that John was “thoughtful and just” as a judge, raised standards at the SBI Crime Lab, and in the General Assembly was “a champion for justice and public education.”
“Judge John was kind and good,” Stein wrote on social media, and also said that North Carolina First Lady Anna Stein “felt privileged to have clerked for him on the Court of Appeals.”
Joe John served in House, as a judge and in SBI
John was first elected to the House in 2016 and just won his fifth term in November. Before that, he spent 25 years as a judge.
House Democratic Leader Robert Reives called John “one of the best men I’ve known,” calling him a “strong leader, outstanding public servant and a great friend.”
Reives noted that John served in all three branches of government, including the legislature, as a judge and director of the State Bureau of Investigation’s crime lab. John spent time on the bench as a judge in District Court, Superior Court and the Court of Appeals. He received his undergraduate, master’s and law degrees from UNC-Chapel Hill.
“Everyone who met him knows how kind Rep. John was to everyone in the room. His commitment to our state and its people will be sorely missed. I am keeping his family in my thoughts and prayers,” Reives said.
Senate Democratic Leader Sydney Batch, who is in the Wake County delegation, as was John, called him a “true servant leader.”
“Rep. John’s dedication to the people of our state, his tireless pursuit of justice, and his compassion for those he served leaves an indelible legacy that will continue to inspire generations of individuals called to lead,” Batch wrote in a statement Wednesday.
Republican Rep. John Bell, who chairs the House Rules Committee, wrote that John “was a true public servant and will be missed by all.”
After John resigned his seat on Sunday, he received an outpouring of messages from his colleagues and others.
Republican House Speaker Destin Hall said on social media Monday that John “is a good and decent man who has served North Carolina well for decades. He and his family are in our prayers.”
Democratic Rep. Marcia Morey called him the “ultimate gentleman and statesman.”
John’s Northwest Raleigh state House district shifted slightly over the years through redistricting. When the House held non-voting sessions but needed a few members there for procedural reasons, it was John who was the frequent Democrat in the chamber.
John’s final public message on his personal Facebook page on Jan. 19 was one of gratitude.
“To all North Carolinians, I want to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude for your trust, your faith, and the incredible opportunity to serve you,” John said. He signed off his message with the state motto, Esse Quam Videri, which means “to be, rather than to seem.”
This story was originally published January 22, 2025 at 6:10 PM.
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