John MacDermid Weiler

John MacDermid Weiler, 73, passed away on November 2, 2023 at Forsyth Medical Center after a brief battle against pancreatic cancer. John was born in Winston-Salem on June 20, 1950 to Helen Frances MacDermid Weiler and Arthur Louis Weiler.

John attended Whitaker Elementary, Wiley Junior High, and R.J. Reynolds High School. John was a gifted musician and played with the Marching Band (herald trumpet), Concert Band (trumpet), and Orchestra (French horn). During this time, John was active in Boy Scouting and earned his Eagle Scout award, God and Country award, and Order of the Arrow. After graduation, he attended Campbell University graduating with a BA in Mathematics.

After college, John returned to Winston-Salem where he began working as an estimator and contractor for Dancy Construction Company and was assigned initially to their jobs at Fort Bragg. He continued as a General Contractor for several companies and retired from R.L. Casey Construction Company in Greensboro. During this time, he was also actively involved in the Professional Construction Estimators Association and held several leadership positions. In retirement, John continued to provide consulting services to several companies as well as the Friends of Reynolds Auditorium and the Yadkin Valley District UMC Board of Church Location and Building. In addition, he served on the UMC Disaster Response and Recovery Mission Building Teams. He always served wherever he saw a need in the churches he attended over the course of his whole life. In 1998, John helped establish the RJ Reynolds Class of 1968 Memorial Scholarship. He served on numerous committees for the Scholarship with other leaders of his class and served as the Managing Co-Chair at the time of his death.

John met Marilyn Lawrence Weiler, his beloved wife of 50 years, while they were in high school and they were married July 28, 1973 at Centenary UMC. They were blessed with their daughter, Johanna in 1984. John was a devoted husband and father, always engaging in the activities, interests, careers, and callings of both Marilyn and Johanna from being a soccer coach to being the Pastor’s spouse.

John was preceded in death by his parents and his aunt, Harriett Louise Weiler. Surviving are Marilyn and Johanna and his sister, Kathy Weiler Evans (Anthony), his nieces, Elizabeth Evans Rice (Rob) and Rebecca Katherine Evans, his great nephew, Wyler Kendrick Rice, and his sister-in-law, Deborah Lawrence McWhirter (Morgan).

A memorial service will be held on Thursday, November 9, 11 AM at Centenary UMC, 646 West 5th Street, Winston-Salem conducted by the Rev. Dr. P. Glenn Kinken, III. The family will receive friends for one hour prior to the service at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the RJ Reynolds Class of 1968 Memorial Scholarship, ℅ Winston-Salem Foundation, 751 West Fourth Street, Suite 200, Winston-Salem, NC 27101-2702 (online: https://www.wsfoundation.org/rjr68).