John Richard Horning, age 74 of Scottsboro, AL, peacefully passed away on Sunday, May 3, 2026.
John was born on March 11, 1952 in Gadsden, AL to Lee and Opal (Johnson) Horning. He was known as a public servant, had a keen eye for photography, was a master wood worker, and a loving family man.
After graduating from High School, John furthered his education at West Valley College. John found his passion for serving others for over 30 years at the Menlo Park, CA Fire Department. He fought fires and as a paramedic saved lives and even delivered a few babies. John honed his culinary skills cooking meals for his firefighting colleagues. He was recognized as a top chef in the department and the crew looked forward to his meals.
On November 3, 1973, John married the love of his life, Gail Carol Warner. Their family was complete when their son, Paul William was born. In addition to raising a family and having a career in firefighting, John was a wedding photographer. He used the extra money earned to purchase, build, and sometimes repair remote controlled gliders that he flew off the Santa Cruz, CA cliffs.
Once John retired, John and Gail toured the U.S parks and places of interest. They lived full-time in an RV Coach for 3.5 years. They selected lake living in Scottsboro for their final homestead. The retirement home was truly a fixer-upper; while much work has been done to the home it is still a work in process today.
John and Gail became Master Gardeners in 2010 and have been active members since, serving in various Board positions, as committee members, and in various officer positions. Their home landscaping is a result of their shared interest as gardeners, building designers, and their fondness of trees. They often entertained family and friends in their beautiful back yard and pool area. John hosted a weekly men’s card group which developed into close friendships, sharing jokes and sometimes unsolicited advice.
John loved his extensive home workshop. One example of his wood working skills is featured in the Butterfly Habitat he built for the Lily Garden area of the Jackson County Park in Scottsboro.
John is survived by his wife, Gail, of Scottsboro; son Paul (Natalie) Horning, and grandson, Owen Horning, of San Jose, CA; and siblings Michael Horning, Ginger Deem, Danny Horning, Danette (John) O’Keefe, and Peggy Horning.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Lee and Opal Horning.
Scottsboro Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements and a visitation will be held on May 15 at 2:00 pm. in the Scottsboro Funeral Home Chapel.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the American Cancer Society, in memory of John
Richard Horning. Checks can be mailed to: American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 6704, Hagerstown, MD 21741.
