John Davis Staley III

John Davis Staley III, 54, was welcomed to his heavenly home by his Savior, Jesus Christ, on April 27, 2024.  John was born on November 29, 1969, in Knoxville to Rita and John Davis Staley, Jr.  He was raised in the Halls community, and along with his parents & sister, Kellie, enjoyed boating, fishing, and skiing on Norris Lake.  John was a lifelong athlete and competitor who celebrated as a member of the 1986 Halls High School football team upon winning the AAA state championship.  John accepted Christ as his Savior as a child at Wallace Memorial Baptist Church and remained active there throughout his life, serving as a deacon and Sunday School teacher.  His strong faith in Christ was the foundation for how he lived.  He graduated from the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, in 1993 with a degree in Physical Therapy.  While in college, he met Stephanie Allen, and they married in 1995.  Stephanie’s love and devotion to John was evident throughout their 29 years of marriage as they laughed and traveled together and especially through her tireless, loving care for him over these past several months.  John was a devoted, caring husband and became a committed father when he and Stephanie were blessed with two precious sons, John Garrett and Grayson Lane.  Garrett and Grayson have brought tremendous joy to their lives as John instilled his love of Christ, sports, and athleticism into these two awesome young men.

John’s strong work ethic led him to build a successful career in physical therapy & leadership as he enjoyed providing compassionate care to countless patients across the region.  He became an accomplished entrepreneur, developing and growing businesses which positively impacted communities across a multi-state region.  Most recently, John served as Senior Vice President of Operations at CORA Physical Therapy. 

He was an avid supporter of the University of Tennessee, serving as President of the UT National Alumni Association in 2018 - 2019, along with many other UTK and UTC leadership roles.  He was a true & loyal friend to so many through his school, business, church, and community ties.  John valued relationships above all and lived this out every day.  He is beloved by numerous people for how he has greatly impacted and blessed their lives.  John was completely devoted to his family and treasured the time he spent with Stephanie, Garrett, and Grayson participating in sports events, lake outings, and exploring national parks enjoying the beauty of God’s creation.  He was a faithful and cherished son who made himself available to help and bless his parents in many ways.  He regularly expressed his gratefulness to them for their impact on his life.  He and his sister Kellie were blessed with a deep love and respect for one another that resulted in a lifelong treasured relationship filled with great times and memories she will forever cherish.  

John will be forever missed and remembered by family and a multitude of devoted friends who loved him so very much.   

Surviving family include wife, Stephanie, and sons, Garrett and Grayson, of the home; parents, John & Rita Staley; sister, Kellie Staley Miller (David); mother-in-law, Georgia Allen; brother-in-law, Buddy Allen (Lori); nephews, Spencer Miller (Heather), Brock Miller, Noah Allen, Matthew Allen; niece, Kendall Miller Graham (Matt), step-niece, Mikayla Allen; and great-nephews, Lincoln Miller, Liam Allen, and Luke Allen.

Receiving of friends will be held at Wallace Memorial Baptist Church, 701 Merchant Drive, Knoxville, on Wednesday, May 1st, 2024, from 5:00 - 7:00 pm with a celebration of life service following at 7:00 pm.  Please enter the sanctuary building through the East entrance near Home Federal Bank, and feel free to wear orange & white if you would like to commemorate John’s support for the University of Tennessee.  Family and friends will gather on Thursday, May 2nd, 2024, at 10:45 am for an 11:00 am graveside service at Fort Sumter Community Cemetery at 4828 Salem Church Road in the Halls community, Knoxville.  If desired, memorial contributions may be made to Wallace Memorial Baptist Church or The Gideons International.