John Joseph Early

WILLOW SPRING - John J Early, age 73, of Willow Spring, NC, died peacefully at home Monday, October 31, 2022, leaving behind 2 complete motorcycles, approximately 4 motorcycles in pieces, numerous Beach Boy record albums, and an awesome workshop which he had wanted for over 40 years.

John has left behind his wife, Mona; daughter, Adrienne Lee Early and husband, Christopher Allen Beavers; son, John Joseph Early V and wife, Jennifer Early; grandson, John Joseph Early VI; granddaughter, Juliet; sisters, Patricia Early, Kathleen Early and Marilyn Early; and dearest lifelong friend who was a chosen brother, John Nelson; and his beautiful Great Pyrenees Dog, Mighty Quinn.

One of his favorite things were family gatherings, especially at his parents’ home on Crystal Lake in Frankfort, Michigan, where there was a lot of food including the delicious tart cherry and apple pies he loved to bake from scratch. His family is planning a Celebration of Life for next summer at their Crystal Lake home.

John was a firm believer in education and hard work. He graduated from Flint Central High School, Flint, Michigan in 1967, completed Prep School at Deerfield Academy, Deerfield, Massachusetts in 1968 where he set many track records. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in 1974 from the College of Pharmacy, University of Michigan where he was a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity and also on the track team. He earned his Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Central Michigan University, then at William Beaumont Hospital in Michigan completed an ASHP Accredited Residency Program.

John was a Professor at the University of North Carolina in the School of Pharmacy and the School of Medicine, Psychiatry. He was the Director of Pharmacy at Dorothea Dix Hospital, Raleigh, where he was known as a benevolent dictator until his retirement due to Parkinson’s disease in 2008.

He was a kind and thoughtful man who, when his future wife was hospitalized during his residency, brought her happy pills, trade name M&Ms, in a labeled prescription bottle.

#65, AKA John Early, began his motorcycle racing career in Michigan with Grattan being his home track, back in the early 1980’s. He always had a helping hand for injured racers and their machines and was known as Dr. John at the track. He loved his Ducatis, Nortons, and Hondas. Honda’s trademark phrase is, “You always meet the nicest people on a Honda” and that was definitely true of Dr. John. During the early days of their marriage, much to his wife’s dismay, John would make a motorcycle part that had to be heat set and she would find it baking in the oven instead of the casserole she had planned. When John relocated to North Carolina in the late 1980’s, he continued racing in the Southeast and volunteered as a WERA Vintage Southeast Regional Director. He retired from racing a few years ago but never lost his passion for motorcycles. Until he became very ill in mid-October 2022, he could be found most days tinkering on his Nortons and Hondas in his workshop.

As his dearest friend said, “My heart is broken. We’ve lost someone special.”