Birth date: Apr 27, 1951 Death date: Dec 18, 2025
John Leonard Washburn, devoted husband, father and follower of Christ, went home to his Savior on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, in McKinney, Texas. He was born in Demopolis, Alabama on April 27, 1951. He grew up in Clinton, Missi Read Obituary
My Friend John by Ed Reames
This is a story about my friend John Washburn. I first met John at First Baptist Church Prosper sometime between 2003 and 2005. We both became members along the way and unknowingly began a friendship that would span more than 20 years.
John was a good natured, mostly easy-going man who spoke with confidence wrapped in a soft southern drawl. He was a son, a husband, a father, a grandfather, a former member of U.S. Special Forces and an educated man who worked in the medical field for as long as I knew him thru his retirement.
But most importantly John was a man who lived the Christian faith. John was a lay missionary and Bible student as an adult who knew that the light of men that shines the farthest also shines the brightest at home. He was easily one the Christians I knew best, and he’s been a living testament as a believer for as long as I’ve known him.
John was a seasoned Bible reader for years. But one of the most impressive things he did was after retirement he went to Seminary and earned a Master’s Degree in Divinity! In addition to living and working out his faith, he had a hunger and thirst to know the scriptures as strong as anyone I’ve known. And he wanted to live his faith to the best of his ability.
John’s greatest earthly concern was for Frankie and her well-being. And his greatest spiritual concern was living out his faith. He helped all of us learn that “Christians don’t just attend church, we learn to BE the church by serving those around us.”
John and I were among 4 men of our era at First Baptist Prosper who would start a Men’s Bible study that met on Thursday or Friday mornings from 6:30-7:30am for prayer, Bible study and breakfast. A remnant of that original group still meets to this day.
I can honestly say that John and I broke out our Bible’s and broke bread together more than 600 times outside of normal church services. We both changed residence and churches a couple of times since that beginning, but we were loyal to our study group and seldom missed our meeting because we both believed ‘Iron sharpens Iron.’
One of my favorite stories from John was his confession about himself and how, as a young man, he mocked his own father who told him about reading the Bible cover-to-cover more than 60 times. In the fullness of time, John came around and read it thru himself more than 25 times in addition to the 1,000’s of studies he must’ve done. John knew he had a date to meet the creator, and he wanted to be prepared. Every time he told that story, I said “I hope that happens to my kids.” And John would reply, “So do I!”
I’m going to miss John greatly and I’ll forever admire him for running the good race and setting the pace for those of us who would run with him. Rest in peace my brother, until we meet again.
Sincere condolences to the family. What I remember most about Johnny was his love for our Lord, his family and his kindness toward his father during a difficult season. His smile was priceless and humor uplifting. In addition, he was a smart and wise man. Peace.
