John Arthur TenBrook, aged 84 years, passed peacefully into the immediate presence of the Savior he loved on Friday, March 22, 2024.

John was born on August 15, 1939, to Hannah (Dilliard) and Everett TenBrook in Kansas City, MO, where he attended Pembroke-Country Day School. He then went on to Harvard College, graduating in 1961 with a bachelor's degree in English. As an undergraduate, he was heavily involved with the Hasty Pudding Theatricals, serving as president of the Hasty Pudding Club his senior year. His love of humor and his quick wit had everyone around him laughing constantly, to his very last day. He was a gifted writer and published several books of short plays with biblical themes. He liked tennis and running, and especially loved fishing and boating around Nantucket Island in Massachusetts, a cherished gathering place every summer for his extended family (which eventually grew from five to 17 people). Though he took to it in midlife, he enjoyed skiing, often taking his family to their small, run-down A-frame house in Vermont to ski on nearby slopes. John loved jazz and classical music all his life, and disliked the rock'n'roll so popular in his youth. He himself was a talented tenor who sang in church choirs, often performing solos, and he also acted in plays with community theatre groups. Though he was a transplanted Midwesterner in Massachusetts, being a New England Yankee at heart, he became an avid fan of the Boston Red Sox, rooting for them faithfully through their dry decades of disappointment in the late 20th century.

After graduation from college, John attended Officer Candidate School and became a Lieutenant in the US Navy. He was a communications officer for all four years of his service aboard the USS Plymouth Rock, an amphibious dock landing ship. While stationed in Little Creek, VA, he met his future wife Frances (Bitty) Davis, whom he married on December 19, 1964. He was a loving husband to her and a devoted father to their three children: Anne, John Jr., and David, who were the pride and joy of his life.

Following his service in the Navy, John earned his MBA from Harvard Business School, after which he took a job training personnel with West Virginia Pulp & Paper (now MeadWestvaco). Later, he became the marketing director at Friendly Ice Cream in Wilbraham, MA, where he lived with his family for nearly fifty years. After a powerful encounter with Jesus Christ through a Faith Alive weekend at the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany in Wilbraham in the 1970s, John became the communications director at Brightside for Families and Children, a social service organization in West Springfield, MA.

Though he himself came from a background of privilege, John disdained elitism all his life and had a special concern for the poor and disadvantaged, in keeping with his guiding principle, "Love people, use things." He served the Wilbraham-Springfield community in numerous ways, coaching various sports and volunteering with Indian Guides, a father-son outdoor adventure program, while his children were young. Later, he also volunteered at Brightside, where he worked, and with Habitat for Humanity. However, the bulk of his service efforts over the years was dedicated to Residents Encounter Christ (REC), an outreach ministry to those incarcerated in jails, starting in the mid-1980s and continuing for more than 30 years. He and Bitty gave generously of their time and resources to the residents of nearby jails through this ministry, with John eventually serving as the Lay Director of REC for many years; they won a number of awards for their selfless efforts. At REC weekend retreats in jails, John was famous for his crazy hats and the humorous plays he would put on with the residents themselves. Long after he left the ministry, upon moving to the supportive Azalea Trace retirement community in Pensacola, FL for the last few years of his life, John still kept in touch with former residents and REC team members.

John is survived by his wife of nearly 60 years, Bitty TenBrook; daughter, Anne (Tim) Royappa; sons, John (Anita) TenBrook Jr. and David (Holly) TenBrook; as well as seven grandchildren, Michael (Katie) Royappa, Andrew (Nina) Royappa, Elizabeth, Vali, Sam, Jake, and Olivia. His affection, service, humor, and compassion for the marginalized and downtrodden will never be forgotten.

A memorial service will be held at 12:00noon Saturday, April 6, 2024, at Grace Community Church, 1114 E. Olive Rd., Pensacola, FL 32514, with lunch to follow. In celebration of John's vibrant spirit, feel free to wear bright colors to the service. A celebration of life is also planned for 1:00pm Sunday, August 4, 2024 in Massachusetts.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Grace Community Church ( https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=7V8HXYQTLLKX8 ) or to the American Cancer Society ( https://www.cancer.org/donate.html ).