John Monroe Colyer Jr.

John Monroe Colyer Jr. FLORENCE - John Monroe Colyer, Jr., of Florence, SC, died on Sunday, April 24, 2016. He was born March 24, 1961, a son of John Monroe and Virginia Snapp Colyer at Fort Belvoir, VA. His father's military assignments took him as a small boy to live in Japan and London, finally settling in Woodburn, OR. In 1983 he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Southern Oregon State University. Following a distinguished 33-year career John retired from Sonoco as senior vice president of Global Industrial Converted Products and Protective Solutions where he demonstrated visionary leadership, dedication and a unique ability to grow businesses. He was the recipient of the Major James Lide Coker Award for Leadership from Sonoco, which honors individuals who embrace change and support individuals and teams in their career and personal development, while consistently displaying leadership and courage. He also was active in numerous industry associations and served on the Board of Directors of the South Carolina Governor's School for Science and Mathematics Foundation. He had a genuine love for life. He traveled the world and was excited to experience new cultures and people. He was a passionate hiker and adventurer and in quiet moments spent time gardening or enjoying music. But he was happiest spending time with his family and friends. John is survived by his loving wife, Karen Pace Colyer of Florence; son, Jonathan of Edwardsville, IL; daughter, Katie and her husband, Derek Blair, of Carthage, NY; brother, Jeff, and his wife Xiao Yan of Granbury, TX; and his grandson, Cole Jonathan, son of Katie and Derek. A visitation will be held on Friday, May 13th from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Brown-Pennington-Atkins Funeral Home in Hartsville, SC. A memorial service celebrating John's extraordinary life will be held in Florence, SC, on May 14th at 2:00 p.m. at First Baptist Church, Florence. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made to the Robert Preston Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke University; the S.C. Governor's School for Science and Mathematics Foundation and the First Baptist Church of Florence. Online condolences can be given at www.bpafuneralhome.com.