John Spofforth

1931 - 2022

Athens John Spofforth, age 91, of Athens, Ohio, artist, bricklayer, activist, and veteran, passed away on September 24, 2022.

John was born June 6, 1931 in White Bear Lake, MN. His family lived in Minnesota, California, Kansas City, and Iowa through John's childhood. After high school, he served in the Navy Seabees four years in Korea and the Far East. Following honorable discharge, he received his bachelor's degree from Ohio University, then later earned a Masters of Fine Arts from OU in 1968.

There, he began to combine skills learned while serving with his imaginative artistic vision to build the large brick sculptures, interior/exterior walls, chimneys, and even whole buildings for which he became renown in Athens, Ohio, and far beyond. One of John's creations was the one-of-a-kind Unitarian Universalist Fellowship on the south end of Athens, built in the early 1970s. In a feature story, the Cleveland Plain Dealer dubbed him, the "mad bricklayer of Athens." John's numerous works included commissioned pieces at the Ohio Governor's mansion, Blossom Music Center, several colleges, city parks, private residences, and more. He conceived and constructed a large exterior sculpture at the National Museum of American Art in Washington, DC, as part of an exhibition on Appalachian artists, "More than Land and Sky," in 1981. Spofforth's unique work, career, and perspectives were regularly featured in arts, masonry, other publications, and video productions over his long career.

John excelled in other visual media, including painting, wood, etching, and photography. He often invited community members to participate. His shared community meditative "rock coils" and wood lath note board at Casa Nueva restaurant on West State Street are examples.

Spofforth expressed strong opinions on controversial topics within the community and beyond. Over 60+ years living in Athens, he wrote numerous letters to the editor arguing for strict separation of church and state, legalization of marijuana, and other issues. Spofforth even sued the City, and won the right to not be automatically billed for trash removal after he recycled and composted, leaving nothing at the curbside.

In 1992, a group of community members formed a non-profit corporation and won the contract to operate public cable access television. John was one of the first employees and worked tirelessly to help "community producers" express themselves through the system. He also was a prolific producer, always pushing the limits.

His surviving family include his son, Sam Spofforth, Sam's wife, Betsy, and grandsons, Joe and Peter.

A memorial service will be held on November 27, 1:30 pm, at Athens Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. In lieu of flowers, the family invites donations to Americans United for Separation of Church and State, American Civil Liberties Union, and/or NORML or NORML Foundation (National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws.

John Spofforth