John G. List Sr.

AUBURN - John G. List, Sr. born May 21, 1946 passed away peacefully on August 29, 2023.  John was married to Dianna (Mulone) for 52 years.  He is survived by his two children John, Jr. and his wife Andrea (Bolton) and Jacqueline and her husband Tyler Alexander.  John had six wonderful grandchildren, Anthony, Avery, Jack and Harper List, Dylan and Austin Alexander.  He is also survived by his sister-in-law Frances Roberto and her husband Ralph, brother-in-law Anthony Mulone and his wife Joyce and many nieces and nephews. 

John ran his own painting company for over 25 years and loved working with and talking with all his customers in Needham and the surrounding areas.  After he retired, he was the Administrative Assistant for the First Baptist Church and after their move to Auburn, John worked for the Ecotarium Museum in Worcester as a ticket agent for the Ecotarium train – a job he truly loved and enjoyed.  He was the business manager of the First Baptist Church Nursery School for over 20 years.  He always made sure that the teachers had everything that they needed to run their program – they affectionally referred to him as “Their Johnny”, 

John served in the U.S. Air Force for three years during the Vietnam Era.  He also gave of himself by traveling to Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, twice, after Hurricane Katrina.  He and Dianna traveled to Haiti after the earthquake to do work for an orphanage.  He also made several trips to Oklahoma to the Murrow Indian Children’s Home.

John loved to sing.  He sang with the First Baptist Church of Watertown choir growing up and then First Baptist Belmont and First Baptist Church of Needham.  He was the president of the Needham Ecumenical Choir and past president and sang bass with the Highland Glee Club.  His singing was secondary to his love of talking.  He would say if anyone knew John was going to call, they would need to plan for at least a half hour to an hour of conversation – even if it was only for a quick question.  In addition to singing, John loved the theater – he produced, directed and acted in two plays through the First Baptist Church of Watertown – You Can’t Take It With You and The Mouse Trap.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, September 2, 2023 at 11:00 am at the First Baptist Church of Needham, 858 Great Plain Ave, Needham, MA, followed by military honors.  Arrangements are in the care of Rice Funeral Home, Worcester.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the PADRE Foundation (Pediatrics-Adolescent Diabetes Research Education), 1201 W. La Veta Ave, Orange, CA 92868 (padrefoundation.org/donate).