John Ethan Giles Sloan, known to most as Ethan and to his closest family members as Fifi, passed away after a prolonged and courageous battle with mental illness on February 25, 2023, at the age of 25. He is survived by his father and stepmother, John Oman Sloan and Meghan Barstow; his mother, Steffie Giles Sloan; his younger siblings, John Oman Sloan, Jr (Max) and Margaret Steven Roses Sloan (Maggie); his grandparents, Delphine Oman Sloan Roberts, Dana Smith, and Steve and Gale Giles; his great grandmother, Westelle Giles; his close-knit and extended family including aunts, uncles and cousins; and his beloved pets, Eldar the black cat and Dunebug the curious kitten.

He is predeceased by his paternal grandfather, John Elliot Sloan, Jr.; paternal step-grandfather, Kenneth Lewis Roberts; and maternal aunt, Linzey Danielle Smith.

Ethan was born on February 4, 1998, in Nashville, Tennessee. As a baby and young boy, he was full of joy, light, big smiles, and fantastical adventuring. Growing up, he was a stalwart defender on the soccer team and creator of mad cap videos long before TikTok and YouTube. His grand sense of humor and appreciation of the silly and absurd continued as he grew older and his hobbies evolved and multiplied.

He was a quintessential rambler. Many evenings he wandered back home just as the sun was setting, with a book under his arm, and report, “Oh, I was just walking around, reading, and took a nap in the sun.” His intellectual interests were wide-ranging. He was an avid reader, and his extensive book collection featured fantasy, history, and books about trees, nature, and philosophy. He loved games of all kinds, connecting online almost weekly with his sister for a session of Animal Crossing on their Nintendo switches and founding a group in Chattanooga dedicated to complex D&D and role-playing games.

The exploration of the outdoors was a mainstay of his physical activities and interests. On his way to school and work, he could often be spotted on his baby blue mountain bike around Chattanooga, where he resided since the age of 21. He had several bows and arrows and honed his shot for hours on end. In a nod to competition, he and his father participated in a mini-triathlon in Utah during his high school years and crossed the finish line together. Ethan loved walks and hikes with the family dogs. On one camping trip in Colorado, he made it possible for Tripod, the 35-pound three-legged red healer, to be part of the adventure by carrying him in a sling fashioned from a bed sheet, lumbering through streams and up treacherous terrain with seam-busting smiles on both of their faces.

Ethan was creative and a creator. He lovingly painted miniatures of the main characters in his games, spending hours to add the right level of detail with the aid of a magnifying glass. Music grounded him, and he always had the most soulful and melodic playlist that could miraculously make a long car ride shorter. He was a proficient piano and guitar player, wrote music, sang in a beautiful voice, and even made his own ukulele from a kit his grandfather gifted him. He also loved to cook — his famous apple pies were the star attraction of every Thanksgiving and Christmas gathering — and he had a passion for all things Japanese. He collected artwork, clothing, and served dishes with Asian motifs scoured from Japanese cookbooks, and was the most loyal fan of the local Japanese restaurant, Sakura.

A love of nature and animals led to his decision to major in biology at the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, where Ethan graduated in December 2022. He was a diligent and hard-working student. One of his favorite classes was the study of ants, and he reveled in the minutiae of the topic. Ethan demonstrated his ability to overcome challenges when he ultimately earned the highest grade in chemistry and a tutoring position after initially struggling with the difficult course. He was a joy to listen to when he regaled you with how nature operated or with some other seemingly ineffable subject.

Ethan was a loving and devoted son, brother, grandson, uncle, friend, and pet papa. He had select and deep relationships that he carefully nurtured over many years. He derived great joy in finding or making a gift perfectly suited to the recipient, that was sure to lift the heart. He was kind and considerate, in particular to those younger than him or in need. He gave his sister the beautifully unique middle name of “Roses,” always included his brother in the big-boy air gun matches when they were younger, was quick to give piggyback rides and play with his younger cousins, and frequently squired his grandparents on errands. A trademark Ethan-ism was popping in, physically or over text, to say, “Just checking in to see how your day is going. Hope everything is okay.”

Ethan’s motivations extended beyond the traditional trappings and achievements of our modern world; he was a gentle soul with a great sense of responsibility and commitment to giving his best effort to everything he did and meeting the expectations of those around him. He will be terribly missed and will always be held close in our hearts. We will always remember him for his many intellectual pursuits and his care for others. It is our hope that he now rests in peace.

A private funeral was held on March 13 at the Sloan family plot in Mt. Olivet. A memorial is planned for later in 2023.

In lieu of flowers, please consider celebrating his legacy by making a donation to the John Ethan Giles Sloan Memorial Conservancy Fund hosted on this website. These funds will be used to support nature conservancy efforts in Tennessee — a cause he would be proud to support and we will carry on in his honor.

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