John Shannon Gerner

John Shannon Gerner, of Whitsett, NC, age 72 passed away on Tuesday, August 19, 2025 at Cone Health Moses Cone Hospital in Greensboro, NC. He was born on March 17, 1953 in Guilford County, NC to the late James Thomas and Myra Jo Allison Gerner.

He was a painter by trade. Prior to retiring he owned / operated John Gerner Painting. In his earlier days he enjoyed fishing, gardening, visiting his family on Sundays/holidays, playing cards, and just hanging out with his friends. A simple, neat, man of few words, he was a creature of habit, a homebody, who was never one to “go out” unless it was to “Monkeys Bar” or Danville, VA to buy lottery tickets and adult beverages back in the day. In more recent years you could always find him in his garage having a drink, watching all kinds of things from gospel/bluegrass music to sitcoms to classics, to news, to sports on television, and shooting the breeze and telling stories (some true, some exaggerated) in the evenings with his cousin Mike Gerner aka “Monkey”, and other family members and friends.

He was a graduate of Southeast Guilford High School (1971). He loved watching all kinds of sports; college and professional football, basketball, baseball, and NASCAR. He was a Duke fan, a Redskins fan, (and Panthers), and a Braves fan. As for NASCAR, he was a fan of whoever he pulled in the race pool that week.

John is survived by his wife of 37 years, Cathy Dixon Gerner and son, Justin Gerner both of the home, his daughter from a previous marriage, Tanya Gerner Flowers (Kirk) of McLeansville, NC as well as three grandchildren; Austin, Brooke, and Maelyn Flowers and three great-grandchildren with another one on the way. Additionally he is survived by two brothers Donald, and Bob (Treva), three sisters Irene Gerner, Rachel Williams, and Bet Butler, Mother in Law, Georgia Dixon, Sisters in Law Debbie Porch (Chuck), Cindy Smith (Rags), brother in law Mike Dixon (Renee), several nephews and a niece and great-nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents James Thomas and Myra Jo Allison Gerner, he was preceded in death by his grandparents Robert and Gladys Allison and James Monroe and Lahla Inez Andrews Gerner and two (2) brothers Edward “Ed” Dean and Tommy “Lynn” Gerner and father in law Pat Dixon.

A Celebration of Life service will be held on Monday, August 25, 2025 at 2pm in the Chapel at Lowe Funeral Home & Crematory. The family will receive friends following the service.