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John Duane Williams, 43, of Elizabethton, died Thursday, May 2, 2024, at Johnson City Medical Center following a two-year battle with cancer. John was the owner of Dino’s Restaurant in Elizabethton and Duck Donuts at the Pinnacle in Bristol, Tenn. He was a member of Grace Baptist Church in Elizabethton. In his earlier years he lived in the Miami area where he went to school through Junior High. His family moved to Elizabethton from Miami in 1995 where he enrolled as a freshman at Elizabethton High School. He sang in the Chorus and Men’s Ensemble while in high school. 

Following high school John received a full scholarship in music to East Tennessee State University. When at ETSU he sang in the Chorale and was a member of Ten Bucks Worth. With Ten Bucks Worth he sang in Germany, The Vatican City, several cathedrals in Italy, the White House, and Bristol Motor Speedway.

During his years in college John assisted with the Youth Ministry at Oak Street Baptist Church, and while in college he was the Youth Minister at First Baptist Church in Jonesborough. Afterwards, he was the Music Minister at Immanuel Baptist Church. 

Always a musician, John self-taught himself to play the guitar. John loved sports, especially baseball and golf. He was a huge fan of University of Tennessee sports, especially football. 

When his father was Speaker of the House in the Tennessee State Legislature John sang the Star-Spangled Banner to open the legislature at Nashville and to open a basketball game at UT. 

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Larry and Barbara Carter and June and Roby Williams. 

He is survived by his parents, Kent and Gayle Carter Williams; his fiancée and soul mate, Lydia Depew; three brothers, David (Amy) and Mark Williams, all of Elizabethton, and R.L. (Amber) of Miami, Fla.; four nephews, Jake Williams, Brady and Reece Williams and Ryder Williams, all of Miami, Fla.; and many aunts, uncles, and cousins. 

A Celebration of Life Service for John Williams will be at 4 p.m. Tuesday, May 7, at Grace Baptist Church, 1114 Broad Street, Elizabethton, with Mr. Ernie Depew, minister, officiating. Music will be under the direction of the fabulous Mrs. Debbie Gouge, whom John loved. The family will receive friends from 10 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. and from 1:30 p.m. until 3:45 p.m. the day of the service. Interment after the service will be in the Ensor Cemetery with Rev. Travis Tyler officiating. Active pallbearers will be David Williams, R.L. Williams, Tim Walker, Matt Brown, Cameron Buchanan, Josh DeVoti, Kevin Cole, and Josh Misener. Honorary pallbearers will be Tyler Hardin and Caleb Hardin, Jason Greene, Nick Cohen, Brandon Moore, Shawn Stewart, Sean Cook, Preston Rosenboro, Seth Hayes and all of his golfing buddies from the Johnson City Country Club. The family requests in lieu of flowers donations in memory of John may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, www.stude.org. The family sends a special thank you to the staff of Johnson City Medical Center, Kenny Shafer, the CEO Of Johnson City Medical Center, Pamela and Amy in the Infusion Center, Pam the RN nurse on the seventh floor, the lab workers in the Cancer Center at Johnson City Medical Center, UT Medical Center Cancer Institute and Dr. Neil Faulkner and Rochelle, the Nurse Practitioner. 

Tetrick Funeral Home-Riverside Chapel, 211 North Riverside Drive, Elizabethton, is honored to serve the Williams family. www.tetrickfuneralhome.com (423) 542-2232.