After a courageous battle with cancer, John passed away peacefully at the age of 75 at home in Lewes, Delaware with his wife, Cathy, by his side.

John grew up in Mount Vernon, Princess Anne, Maryland and was the son of Boyd and Nellye Horner.  John obtained a Bachelors Degree from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and a Masters Degree in Public Administration from Troy University.

While stationed at Zweibrücken Air Base in Zweibrücken, Germany, John met the love of his life, Cathy. After only a couple short months of dating, John proposed to Cathy in the most "John" way imaginable: by sharing the elaborate trip he was planning for their honeymoon, before ever asking for her hand in marriage. That travel proposal set the tone for what was a lifetime of world travel and adventures for the pair.  John and Cathy welcomed their first child, Jennifer Elizabeth Horner in July of 1983, followed by a son, Jonathan Edward Horner, in March of 1985.

After a distinguished 20 year military career, John retired from the Air Force as a Major in 1992 and moved his family back to his hometown of Mount Vernon in Princess Anne, Maryland. This began the next chapter of his life where he introduced his family to what it meant to be a Marylander. He taught his children how to catch blue crabs along the shores of the Wicomico River where they grew up. He then taught his family how to pick those crabs once steamed. If you were a friend of John's, you likely attended one of the "crab feasts" he and Cathy hosted at their home.

In 2009, John and Cathy moved to The Villages, Florida. John took full advantage of the warm Florida weather by walking several miles every day as well as enjoying a swim in the pool. Eventually, he and Cathy would split their time between The Villages and Lewes, Delaware to be closer to their grandkids.   John was a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend and will be deeply missed by those whose lives he touched.

John is survived by wife Cathy, daughter Jennifer (Clinton) Grice, son Jonathan (Mary Katherine) Horner, sister Susan Horner, and 4 grandchildren. John was preceded in death by his brother, Billy Horner.

His funeral will be held at Hinman Funeral Home in Princess Anne on January 4, 2025 at 11am, with a viewing for close family and friends at 10am.