John Hart, Sr.

John D. Hart, Sr. passed away Tuesday, April 16, 2019, surrounded by family.  He was the devoted husband of Cindy Olsen Hart for the past 36 years.  He was born in Little Rock, Arkansas on May 27, 1946 to Charles Hart, Sr. and Evelyn Hickman Hart.  John later moved with his family to Bethesda, Maryland where he spent the latter half of his youth, and later raised his own family in Rocky Ridge, Maryland.

John spent 39 years in service to the Federal Government including three years of active duty with the Army.  While in the Army, John served as a Sergeant in Vietnam from March 1968 to February 1969.  After his military service, John went on to serve aboard and eventually captain the tugboat Chickadee and lightship Chesapeake, operating predominately on the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay.  John traded the sea for the mountains and a career at Catoctin Mountain Park with the National Park Service.  For over 30 years John was the Chief of Maintenance for his beloved Catoctin Mountain Park, where he oversaw the construction and maintenance of all park buildings and utilities, including working with the presidential retreat Camp David.

John was an active member of his community, volunteering for a number of organizations, including serving as past club president of Thurmont Lions Club, past master of the Thurmont Grange, member of the Rocky Ridge Volunteer Fire Company, board of trustees for Weller United Methodist Church, a member of the Masonic Temples of Kensington-Bethesda and the Acacia Lodge of Thurmont, and a member of the Carroll and Frederick County Amateur Radio Clubs.
Following in the footsteps of his father, John was an avid amateur “Ham” radio operator since his early childhood.  Going by the call sign K3KWO, John would make contact with Hams from around the world from both his home station and mobile units.

In addition to his wife, John is survived by his children: Carrie Shives and husband Jason, Erica Lockney and husband John, John D. Hart, Jr. and wife Sage; 7 grand-children: Elizabeth, Michael, Johanna, Charles, Abagayle, George and Emory; siblings: Nancy Hart Carwell and husband Keith and Charles Hart and wife Margo; a sister-in-law, Judy Hart as well as numerous nieces and nephews.  In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, M. Cordell Hart.
The family will receive friends on Tuesday, April 23 from 2:00 - 4:00 and 6:00 to 8:00 pm at Stauffer Funeral Home, 104 East Main Street, Thurmont.  A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, April 24 at 11:00 am at Weller United Methodist Church, 101 Altamont Avenue, Thurmont.  Pastor Bob Kells will officiate.  Interment will be in Blue Ridge Cemetery, Thurmont.

Memorial donations may be made to Weller UMC Memorial Fund at the above address.