John Charles Mehalic, born on July 18, 1955, in Cleveland, Ohio, was received into his eternal home on March 20, 2025, in Royse City, Texas, after courageously battling throat cancer for six years. John was the second oldest of eight children born to Charles William and Lillian Mary “Pat” (Rozanc) Mehalic.

Known for his energy and excitement, everyone knew to stand clear when John took the dance floor to boogie with his beloved bride, Stacy Machelle (Harrison). They were married in Smithville, Texas, on June 18, 1988. His earthly journey was marked by an unwavering love of God and a deep faith in Jesus Christ. John was passionate about all Cleveland Pro Sports Teams, the Texas Longhorns, rock and roll, blues music, and his meat smoker. He never missed a local concert by one of his favorite bands. John also had a deep passion for gardening, planting over 50 trees in his lifetime. His passing has left a void in the hearts of his family, friends, and many others whose lives were touched by him.

Born in the Collinwood neighborhood of Cleveland, John’s family expanded quickly, and he was raised in the eastern suburb of Willoughby, Ohio. There, he made many lifelong friends, competed in high school wrestling and baseball, and graduated from Willoughby South High in 1973. His love for sports followed him to Kent State, where he graduated with a B.A. in Education in 1978. John’s infatuation with American History led him back home, where he taught high school history and coached the Kirtland Hornets baseball and wrestling teams until economic cutbacks led to a new start in Texas.

Young and newly laid off from teaching, John followed his dear friend John Pugel and younger brother Gary Mehalic to Austin, Texas, in 1982. He spent most of the next two decades working with Pepsi, Inc. It was then that John, fumbling over his words, met a darling young lady at a breakfast diner in Austin. He tried to embarrass her by telling her how beautiful she was, but quickly got his own tongue caught when she described his beautiful blue eyes, leaving him red. John had met his match. John and Stacy married shortly thereafter and were blessed to raise their son, Justin Charles (Justine Poe), and their daughter, Lauren Ashley (Luke Barr) in Austin and Missouri over the next two decades. They became the ever-doting grandparents to Charles Jacob “Charlie” and Evelyn Rose “Lynnie” Mehalic, with another grandson on the way. John also had a soft spot for his furry grandbabies, especially Poppet, Lauren’s cat, with whom he shared a special 13-year bond.

John did not leave Pepsi before spending an unaccompanied year building the brand and experiencing life in Moscow, Russia. Following Pepsi, he joined Moark LLC for four years and lastly joined Eggland’s Best for the last 15 years as Midwestern Sales Manager, helping lead the company in top growth for many consecutive years before retiring to Royse City, Texas, in 2022 to be nearer to their loving grandchildren.

John was an active member of his church communities, serving as a Deacon at Forest Park Baptist Church (Joplin, MO), a Sunday School/Small Group Leader (FPBC, River Valley Christian Fellowship), and most recently teaching at Lakepointe Church-Rockwall, where his friendships grew. Never one to be accused of too much relaxation, he often served at a moment’s notice with “Texans on Mission,” spending every opportunity with this faith-based organization to serve communities seriously damaged by hurricanes and other significant natural calamities.

After God, nothing was more important to John than the bonds of friendships and family. He is also survived by his seven siblings: Charles John (Heidi), Mitchell Charles (Valerie, deceased), Gary Charles (Mica), Patricia Cheryl (Bruce Genovese), Loren Ceryle (Roger Suggs, deceased), Lynley Ann (Joey Turconi), Deidre Lee (Kent Jordan), and many nieces and nephews scattered across the country.

Those who knew John will remember him for his infectious humor, overwhelming energy, hardworking attitude, deep-rooted faith in Jesus, unwavering commitment to gathering often with his family, and passion for serving those in crisis. He had a rare gift for making others smile and leaving a lasting impact on anyone he met.

A Celebration of Life to honor John’s life will take place at Resthaven Funeral Home in Rockwall, Texas, on April 26th, with visitation at 1:00 pm and service at 2:00 pm. Although John's physical presence may no longer grace our lives, his spirit will continue to inspire and uplift us in many ways. May his memory remain with us until we reunite again.

In lieu of flowers, John asked that we remember him in the best way he knew—by planting a tree. A tree can be purchased in John’s honor at https://shop.alivingtribute.org.