John was born on Labor Day Sept. 5, 1955 in Pottsville, PA to John and Lucille Speir. He graduated in 1977 from The University of Montevallo where he was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity with a degree in Accounting and began his 41 year career in the insurance industry. He met his wife Vicki at Continental Insurance in Birmingham, AL and they married in 1978. They had 2 daughters Denise and Pam and countless beloved pets. After many moves for his career, they moved to Florence, AL where he worked for NAI for 25 years until his retirement in 2019. He was an amazing husband, father, Poppy, and friend, well known for his cheesy grits and awesome dance moves. He is described by his peers and coworkers as a wonderful mentor and a great friend. All who met him loved his happy spirit and his love for his family, pets, and the outdoors. He was an avid outdoorsman who loved working with Vicki on their many yard projects, feeding his birds and deer, traveling to the beach and mountains, hiking, camping, and backpacking with his buddies Tip, Robert, and Chris.