WINTER HAVEN - John Henry Cockerham was born in Elkin, NC April 6, 1930.  He passed away July 5, 2009, of respiratory complications. John attended Washington State University, Rutgers School of Banking, and earned an MBA at Nova University, graduating with honors.

In Florida, he was Regional President of Atlantic Bank of Florida serving Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and Brevard Counties, President of Atlantic Bank in Lake Wales, and Vice President of First Union Bank in Fort Lauderdale. Earlier in his career he was President of the Mercantile Bank in Atlanta, and Regional Vice President of the Northwestern Bank in Winston-Salem.

John’s leadership and active service to the community include: Boca Museum of Art Board of Directors, President of the Gold Coast Opera of Broward, Chairman of the “Committee of One Hundred”, President and General Chairman of the YMCA (responsible for raising the funds to bring the YMCA to Lake Wales), Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and President of the Kiwanis in Lake Wales. In the State of Georgia he was the Director and Treasurer of the Georgia Diabetes Association, President of the United Way and served as Executive Trustee of the School of Banking, Louisiana State University. 

John recently was a member and Vice President of Arts on the Park (Lakeland’s Art Center) and was awarded Volunteer of the Year when he rescued the building for the City of Lakeland.

Mr. Cockerham is survived by his wife, Nancy Sykes Cockerham, of Winter Haven, FL; daughter, Susan Carol Eyring of Roxboro, NC; son, John Stephen Cockerham, Hampton, TN; step-daughters, Shannon Lee Jones, Cambridge, MA, and Deanna Gail (Jones) Bland, Knoxville, TN; grandchild, Amanda Eyring Boda, Matthews, NC; brother, James V. Cockerham, Elkin, NC; sisters, Lucille Golden Elkin, NC, and Roette Peeples, Winston-Salem, NC. 

A Lutheran Memorial Service will be held at the Oak Ridge Funeral Home, 2425 W. Havendale Boulevard, Winter Haven, at 3:00 p.m., on July 14, 2009.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the American Diabetes Association.