John Elwood Painter, campus police officer and retired police chief of Grottoes, Virginia, died in the line of duty on Feb. 1, 2022, on the campus of Bridgewater College in Bridgewater, Virginia.
Mr. Painter was born in Germany but raised in Augusta County, Virginia, where he graduated from Riverheads High School. He was a United States Air Force veteran, member of the Army National Guard, retired chief of police for the Town of Grottoes, Virginia, and currently a campus police officer for Bridgewater College in Bridgewater, Virginia.
He was considered a loving family man with a great loyalty to his friends and community. His devotion could not go unseen to those who knew him. He was an avid outdoorsman, who loved hunting and fishing. He also adored his dogs, Mercury and Bella.
Surviving are a daughter, Courtney Painter of Weyers Cave, Virginia; his father and mother, Willie Elwood and Roswita Ottilie “Rosie” Eppers Painter of Stuarts Draft, Virginia; a brother, Andreas “Andy” Painter and wife, Marnie of Greenville, Virginia; a sister, Sandra Fisher of Stuarts Draft, Virginia; a granddaughter, Ava Grace Brooks; a grandson, Aiden James Patterson and former spouse, Jessica Harman Painter of Weyers Cave, Virginia; two nephews, Jacob Painter and Austin Painter, both of Greenville, Virginia; two nieces, Savannah Clark of Stuarts Draft, Virginia, and Kaitlyn Painter of Greenville, Virginia; uncles, Garfield Painter and wife, Janice of Staunton Virginia, Earl Painter and wife, Linda of Mechanicsville, Virginia, and Warren Painter of Fluvanna, Virginia; aunts, Carole Painter of Lofton, Virginia, Connie Painter of Palmyra, Virginia, and Nannie Mae Painter of Fishersville, Virginia; numerous cousins, including close cousins, Dwayne and Morgan Painter; and many extended family members and friends.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents and several aunts, uncles and cousins.
A funeral service was conducted Wednesday at James Madison University’s Atlantic Union Bank Center in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Interment was private.
Memorial contributions may be made to The National Fallen Officer Foundation,
https://www.nationalfof.org or Children of Fallen Police Officers Foundation, https://www.
policeofficersfoundation.org.
Condolences may be shared at kygers.com.
Arrangements were under the direction of the Kyger Funeral Home in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
