John Elwood Painter Obituary

John Elwood Painter, Campus Police Officer, Retired Police Chief, of Grottoes, Va., died in the line of duty on Tuesday, February 1, 2022, on the campus of Bridgewater College.

Mr. Painter was born in Germany but raised in Augusta County, where he graduated from Riverheads High School. He was a United States Air Force Veteran, member of the Army National Guard, retired Chief of Police for the Town of Grottoes and currently a Campus Police Officer for Bridgewater College. John was considered a loving family man with a great loyalty to his friends and community. His devotion could not go unseen to those who knew him. He was an avid outdoorsman, who loved hunting and fishing. John also adored his dogs, Mercury and Bella.

John is survived by his daughter, Courtney Painter of Weyers Cave; father and mother, Willie Elwood and Roswita Ottilie "Rosie" Eppers Painter of Stuarts Draft; brother, Andreas "Andy" Painter and wife, Marnie of Greenville; sister, Sandra Fisher of Stuarts Draft; granddaughter, Ava Grace Brooks; grandson, Aiden James Patterson and former spouse, Jessica Harman Painter of Weyers Cave. Also surviving are two nephews, Jacob Painter and Austin Painter, both of Greenville; two nieces, Savannah Clark of Stuarts Draft and Kaitlyn Painter of Greenville; uncles, Garfield Painter and wife, Janice of Staunton, Earl Painter and wife, Linda of Mechanicsville, and Warren Painter of Fluvanna; aunts, Carole Painter of Lofton, Connie Painter of Palmyra and Nannie Mae Painter of Fishersville; numerous cousins, including close cousins, Dwayne and Morgan Painter, as well as many extended family members and friends.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents and several aunts, uncles and cousins.

The family will receive friends on Monday, February 7, 2022 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Kyger Funeral Home in Harrisonburg.

A funeral service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Wednesday, February 9, 2022, at James Madison University's Atlantic Union Bank Center. Attendees are encouraged to wear "thin blue line" attire or black and blue in honor of our law enforcement officers. Interment will be private.

Memorial contributions may be made to The National Fallen Officer Foundation, https://www.nationalfof.org or Children of Fallen Police Officers Foundation, https://www.policeofficersfoundation.org.

Copy and paste the link to livestream the service: https://www.youtube.com.