John died Feb. 4, 2018, at his home in Gerton, N.C., after a battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. He was born March 28, 1951, in Middletown, Ohio, to Rathmel and Patricia Myers. He graduated from Middletown High School.
At Princeton, he majored in anthropology, and he earned a master’s degree in psychology from Rutgers. His career was unusually textured, ranging from work as a biofeedback therapist, to working on Wall Street, to a stint at Bell Labs. He later became a skilled massage therapist.
His lifelong passion was rock climbing, which he pursued throughout the United States and Europe. John became a strong advocate for the environment and was active in the Trust for Public Land, the New York/New Jersey Trail Conference, and the Access Fund for much of his adult life.
He moved to North Carolina, where he reconnected with Jane Lawson, his best friend from high school. They were married in 2004, and John devoted his later life to creating the Hickory Nut Forest Eco-Community and Laughing Waters Retreat Center. Conserving Carolina recently honored John for donating 73 acres of his land to a conservation easement.
He is survived by his wife, Jane; stepson Jack Wedthoff; sister Kathy Patten; one niece; and one nephew.