Terrence Daniel Wilford John

Terrence Daniel Wilford John, age 29, was born March 25, 1993 in Bronx, New York to Julius John and Robin Richards. He passed away on Friday, October 7, 2022. He lived there briefly before moving to Howell, New Jersey, where he attended Ramtown Elementary School. In 2002, his family moved to Buford, GA, where he has resided ever since. There, he finished Elementary School and attended Glenn C. Jones Middle School before attending Mill Creek High School (class of 2011). For his undergraduate degree, Terrence went to Georgia State University in Atlanta, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Political Science (pre-law) and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Film (class of 2015). He continued his education at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School, completing his Juris Doctorate in 2020. He went on to pass the Georgia Bar Exam to become a licensed attorney that same year. Terrence further pursued his career as an associate attorney at The Kirby G. Smith Law Firm (2021) and The Dow Law Firm (2021) before moving to McMichael and Gray, where he remained until his passing. He dreamed of mixing his passion for politics and the filmic arts, hoping to one day work in entertainment and copyright law.   

Terrence was best known for his headstrong attitude, playfully called “cantankerous” by his family.  He knew what he wanted and took steps to achieve it. He was always willing to debate a topic, whether it be politics, sports, or other things. Terrence knew how to argue a point, which suited him well in his daily duties as an attorney.  Terrence was an avid reader, often found with a book in hand, amassing a collection of over 1000 books. He loved his huge extended family and enjoyed when everyone would get together to celebrate one event or another. He also enjoyed watching movies, playing video games, or simply spending times with his parents, brothers, and best friends: Luis Matos, Ismeal Ortiz, and Antonio Gonzalez. He had a deep love for music, curating an impressive vinyl collection of all genres and was always prepared to share it with anyone who would listen. Terrence even used to play baritone in the middle and high school band. Though a homebody at heart, Terrence loved hanging out with friends, attending sporting events, music festivals, and more. He could be stubborn at times, especially when it came to achieving his goals. Still, he always had a warmness about him, allowing him to talk to anyone about almost anything. In doing so, he made lifelong friends, many of which have lasted since he was in elementary school. His time was short, but impactful in more ways than he will ever realize. He will be deeply missed.

Terrence is survived by his parents, Julius John and Robin Richards; brothers, Tyler John, Jordan John, Yehudi John, and Kevin John; sister-in law, Gabrielle John; niece, Kaylen John; grandfather, Casper Richards; grandmother, Dora Anthony; and many aunts and uncles, a myriad of cousins, large extended family and friends, and his dog Brutus.

Funeral service will be held Monday October 24, 2022 at 1pm at Mt. Zion Baptist Church. Burial will be in Alta Vista Cemetery. Viewing will be held Sunday October 23, 2022 from 11am-2pm.

Dexter T. Sims Mortuary, LLC, Gainesviile, has charge of arrangements.