John Wesley Hartley, 89, of Cincinnati, Ohio, passed away peacefully in his home on Saturday, February 12, 2022.
Mr. Hartley was born on June 22, 1932, on Cabin Creek in Lewis County, Kentucky, to the late Thomas Jefferson and Ottie Cree McDonald Hartley. A man devoted to God and family, he worked in the offices of Browning’s (Emerson Electric) in Maysville, Kentucky, for 40 years and was a veteran who served his country honorably in the US Navy. From a young age, he was an avid reader and enjoyed learning about engineering and architecture, later going on to design and construct a large family home in Aberdeen, Ohio. A person who was always busy, he farmed land, served as a Maysville Nazarene Church Deacon and Aberdeen Church of the Nazarene pastor, sold real estate, was a John Deere tractor salesman, and showed community spirit through landscape projects. Most recently, Mr. Hartley remained actively involved in his church with his wife, Lois, enjoyed traveling and reading historical biographies and religious works.
Survivors include his wife of 12 years, Lois Schalk Hartley; his daughters, Debbie Cree Hartley Dryden of Tennessee and Kimberly (Don) Elaine Hartley Dale Morgan of Indiana; four grandchildren, Teresa (Jason) Elaine Dryden Smith, Charlotte Ann Dryden, Krystal (Wayne) Cree Dryden Brewster, and Angela (Donald) Dawn Dale Hudelson; five great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of 53 years, Billie Dean Rosser Hartley; his son, John Wesley Hartley, Jr.; son-in-law, James Brent Dryden; grandson, Philip Allen Dale, Jr.; his step-mother, Lola Emmons Hartley; sisters, Frances Hartley Trumbo, Lorene Rose, and Opal Tully; half-sister, Evelyn Hartley Curtis; and brothers, Charles Tommy Hartley and Paul Estel Hartley.
Services were held Friday, February 18, 2022, at 6:00 p.m., at Cheviot United Methodist Church, 3820 Westwood Northern Blvd., Cincinnati, OH 45211 with a remembrance reception immediately following. Burial was at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 19, at Charter Oak Cemetery in Aberdeen, Ohio.
Memorials may be made to the Cottageville Mission Church, 203 Cottageville Church Road, Vanceburg, KY, 41179 and to Fairmont United Methodist Church, 1615 Tremont St., Cincinnati, OH 45214. www.dwifuneralhome.com.
