God called John Michael O'Melia home on September 7, 2025. He was 89 years old. John was preceded in death by his wife, Sallie (Cooper) O'Melia; his parents, Leonard Joseph O'Melia and Ola Lee (Glass) O'Melia; his sisters, Kathleen Monroe, Nora O'Melia and Sharon Tedder; his sons, Leonard Joseph O'Melia and John Joseph Thomas O'Melia; and his granddaughter, Mary Elizabeth O'Melia. 

John "Joe" O'Melia worked hard to provide for his wife and 7 children - sometimes working 3 jobs to make ends meet. He proudly served in the US Army Reserves for 25 years and worked for the US Postal Service for 32 years. John was a dedicated genealogist, often helping others to trace their family trees. He enjoyed watching westerns and old war movies, and he loved holding his grandbabies (it tickled him to see how quickly they would fall asleep when he held them). 

John is survived by his brother Kevin O'Melia; brother-in-law Benny Tedder; son Michael O'Melia; daughters Michele O'Melia, Margaret Benson, Karen O'Melia, Sheila Kennedy, Zaneta Brown; his grandchildren Aiden O'Melia, Katherine O'Melia, Steven O'Melia, James Benson, Robert Benson, Randy Benson, Scott Benson, Jenna Lundin, Shelly Bozeman, Alexandra O'Melia, Shaun O'Melia, Selena O'Melia, Ashley Jett, Edward Kennedy;  and 14 great-grandchildren.

A dedication ceremony will be held in Asheville NC on Thanksgiving weekend, 2025. John and his wife Sallie's ashes will be scattered during the ceremony at a TBD location on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

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