John Dee “JD” Varner of Indiana, Pennsylvania passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on May 19, 2023 at 87 years of age. Born November 1, 1935 to John Lynn and Dee Hurd Varner, JD was the youngest of six siblings: Rex Ryan, Rose Ryan Pierce, Ethel Varner Maurey, Murray Varner, and Scott Varner, all of whom are welcoming him home to heaven.
JD is survived by his wife, Daria Troyan Varner, whom he married 65 years ago on June 28, 1958. Together they have four children: Doug Varner, Greg Varner, Jocelyn Richardson (Mark), and Jennifer Frumkin (Ted). He is survived by twelve grandchildren: John Richardson (Amanda), Alexander Varner (Elise), Olivia Richardson Gilliland (Josh), Maxwell Varner (Haylee), Joel Richardson, Madeline Varner Spearman (Ryan), Tori Varner Gallagher (Jack), Abby Varner Wensel (Floyd), Elle Varner, Mason Frumkin (Savanna), Wiley Belle Frumkin, and Sam Frumkin. JD is survived by seventeen great-grandchildren (“the greats”): Luke, Zella, and Lincoln Daubenspeck; Grayson, Tucker, and Charlotte Varner; Abram, Daria Jane, Uriah, and Gracy Richardson; Alaina, Alisson, and Roman Spearman; Briggston, Izabella, and Rex Wensel; and Lily Gallagher. As recently as this week, JD took Daria’s hand to ask, “Have I told you lately that I love you?”–a line he commonly sang to her.
A lifelong resident of Indiana, PA, JD graduated from Indiana High School in 1953 and from Indiana State Teachers’ College (now IUP) with a Bachelor of Science in Education degree in 1957. He earned a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Pittsburgh in 1960. After teaching school briefly in the Quaker Valley School District and serving in the army in Fayetteville, North Carolina, JD returned to Indiana to pursue a career in business. JD has been a member of Grace United Methodist Church since childhood–where he has held many leadership roles and where he sang the bass parts in the choir. For leisure, JD enjoyed hunting at Luckenbach, Pennsylvania with his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. His greatest joy was family and his ongoing passion was to cultivate events that brought his family together. There was never a family gathering where JD didn’t rally the troops for a few rounds of “Simon Says.”
A veteran of the United States Army, a long-time sales agent for the New York Life Insurance Company, and the former Mayor of Indiana, JD is perhaps best known publicly for his role as founder and producer of The Christian Witness–a radio ministry that has run locally since February 1966. Outreaches of that ministry include the annual “Concert of Praise” historically held the Sunday before Thanksgiving, the “This Sunday Morning” radio program, and many, many Lay Witness Weekends designed to encourage Christians to talk about their faith. The focus of his life as a follower of Jesus Christ is summarized in the anchor verse for the ministry. Matthew 5:16 reminds all believers to “Let your light so shine before men that they will see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”
A public funeral service will be held Saturday, May 27, 2023 at 1:00 pm in the sanctuary of Grace Methodist Church (South 7th Street, Indiana) with visitation hosted from 11:00 to 1:00 in the church parlors. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that friends honor the life of John Dee Varner by sending a check to “The Christian Witness” at P.O. Box 223 Indiana, Pennsylvania 15701.
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