John M. Frazier

John Frazier, 84, of Dillsburg PA passed away on July 9th 2024. John was born to Edwin and Louise Frazier in Chicago IL, and raised in Lancaster PA. He attended Dickinson College for a time before joining the US Navy. After his enlistment, he moved around with his newspaper career, living in ND, Columbia PA, and eventually northern PA where he met Joyce. The two married and moved to Maryland for a time, with John continuing his newspaper work as a writer and photographer. After the birth of their first son Jonathan, they moved to Dillsburg Pennsylvania, where they had Christopher a few years later. John continued in the newspaper field before taking a communications job with the state at the Public Utility Commission, where he served until retirement.

In 1981 he and his wife Joyce bought property in the countryside and built a new house of passive solar design, which they would reside in for the rest of their respective lives. He enjoyed tending his robust garden during these middle years, occasionally venturing to the Yellow Breeches Creek or the Le Tort for a quiet evening of fishing. He also treasured his Martin dreadnaught guitar, which he played frequently. When Chris became part of the USMC Commandant’s Own, John and Joyce, often accompanied by Jonathan, would drive down to Washington DC for the sunset performances of this ceremonial drum and bugle corps.

  After retiring from the Commonwealth, John and Joyce took part time jobs at a bookstore cafe. He also volunteered with Trout Unlimited, helping to restore banks along the small local waterways he was so familiar with. When Joyce passed in 2004, John continued on, developing new friends amongst folk music circles, joining in bluegrass jams with his guitar, and becoming a regular at open mics hosted by Jonathan. He maintained weekly guitar lessons even as the years and dementia slowed him down, with Bob Dylan and John Prine tunes being favorites. John died peacefully in his sleep with family present, under the care of Hospice of Central Pennsylvania. He is survived by his two sons Jonathan and Christopher (Danielle) Frazier, brother Kent (Lorraine) Frazier, and sister Ann (Stan) Fowler.

Services will be held Saturday, September 14, 2024, at 11:00 am in the Cocklin Funeral Home, Inc., 30 N. Chestnut St., Dillsburg, PA. A visitation will be held from 10-11 am prior to the service.