John Michael Wanlass was reunited with his beloved wife, Karen on Tues, April 9, 2024, due to lingering complications from fighting cancer. He passed quietly surrounded by family and friends.
John was born July 24, 1962. He was preceded in death by his mother Peggy, brother Lee, and his soulmate Karen. He is survived by sons Josh, Anthony, Jordan, and Ryan, as well as his brother Steve.
John was adored by anyone who met him, whether in a personal or professional setting. He was a leader, a teacher, a mentor, a musician, and a romantic. John always had a hug, a joke, or a kind word for any who needed it. When you were with John, you knew you were going to be taken care of, and leave the experience for the better.
John didn’t just raise a village, he raised a whole city, and we will all be a little sadder going forward. Let us continue to follow the hard-working example he set, and treat everyone with kindness, respect, and love.
One man can change the world, and I think I speak for all of us when I say that he changed ours. You were a light in this world, John, and we will do our best to honor your legacy. You can rest now, we’ll take it from here. Until we meet again.
In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate a donation to the Huntsman Cancer Foundation.
Guestbook/Condolences
I only got to meet John once when we all went to the SLC Zoo. I will remember his big smile and funny jokes. May he rest in peace in the arms of his love one's and remain in the hearts of those left behind.
Sue and myself want to offer our condolences to the family. We got to know John and Karen while they lived out here in Colorado. he was the most caring, considerate and fun loving person I've ever ever met. We will miss him.!
If only we had the chance to say goodbye. John you were our dearest friend & we will miss you so much! You will never be forgotten! Always happy, laughing & smiling you were a joy to all who knew you! We so looked forward to seeing you this summer. If only we hadn't been so far apart. Rest now John & we'll see you again someday. We love you!!!
John, my brother from another mother. I know you are free and with Karen, Lee and your mom. Happy reunion I's sure. Thank you for the memories and good times. I have much love and respect for you and yours. Rest in Love my brother. Save me a seat at your table, and I will see you soon.
I’m so sorry for your loss.
My memories with John span way, way back—to the 70s, when Riverview Junior High was our stomping ground. Though "attended" might not be the most accurate term; if memory serves, we spent more time cutting classes at Riverview Park than sitting in school. It's a wonder we made it through those days! Yet amidst the mischief, my fondest recollections of John revolve around music. Together, we immersed ourselves in the sounds of the era, from tuning in to Top-40 hits on our transistor radios to later on blasting 8-track tapes in our cars. Our shared passion for music was the cornerstone of our friendship, and in the 70s, the tunes were nothing short of legendary.
Then there were the concerts. We caught every iconic band that came to Salt Lake, from KISS to Bad Company, Foghat, and Styx, among others. Even amid the haze of mind-altering substances, those concert memories remain etched in my mind.
Life took its course, and I lost touch with John around 1980. It wasn't until the advent of Facebook, some 40 years later, that our paths crossed again. The John I encountered was older, wiser, as was I. Yet, despite the passage of time, our shared love for music still burned bright as it did in the 1970s.
We swore we were going to get together again, maybe go to a "classic rock" concert, but that never happened. Sorry for procrastinating, old friend. Rest in peace.
My deepest apologies for not getting to the celebration. It was snowing here and we decided to stay home rather than trying to get up there.I miss Johnny just as much as everyone else. He was my nephew and I will miss him and Karen very much. My sympathy for the whole family. John had special place with each one of us in our 💕. He will be missed very much. We loved you very much and miss you even more. Give Karen a big hug for us
I had the pleasure of working with John in the produce department at Dan's Market on Foothill. John's kindness and positivity were truly infectious. He made fast friends with everyone around him and *always* made sure to make their day just a little bit brighter. I was inspired by John's work ethic, his intellect, his humor, and above all that signature kindness and compassion. My condolences to his family, he will be dearly missed.
This is from my heart for John Wanlass: my nephew, my best friend and my inspiration,
John and I spent most of our childhood growing up together. It wasn’t always easy growing up in Utah, but I wouldn’t change my childhood for anything and I don’t believe we could have had a better childhood anywhere. John and I became very close growing up together and created a bond that will last forever. We fought and argued just like brothers do and we had our falling outs in life too. But there wasn’t anything that could ever break the bond we had between us.
As we grew older we went our separate ways, but I always knew that no matter what ever happened in life we would always be there for each other.
I think that the main thing that always impressed me the most about John and something that I always envied, was how smart John was. I like to describe his intelligence as quiet intelligence and that’s because you might not have ever known just how brilliant John was until you really got to know him. He didn’t try or need to impress people with his intelligence.
Like anyone, John had his ups and downs in life. He struggled a lot in life for a while when he was younger like most of us do. But in time, John found his calling in life and changed his life around to be a success. And when he found his place in the world, he not only became successful in his line of work, he also loved the line of work that he was in. I believe that happened for him because of how smart John was. He loved his work and co-workers and they indeed loved him too.
John loved all kinds of activities. A few of those included traveling, going to music concerts and he loved his Snoopy Nation. But his most true and cherished love was his wife Karen. He was a great husband, father and family man. John was a wonderful, special, loving, smart, fun and successful individual that I know everyone admired. As I sit here and write this while tears are in my eyes, I didn’t just lose my nephew, my best friend and inspiration. I have lost part of me. My life will not be the same now that I don’t have John.
My deepest condolences to all of Johns loved ones left behind. I knew John way back in our crazy Jr High Days and we reconnected through Facebook. I had the pleasure of spending time with John and Karen when they moved back to Utah and were looking for a new home. We kept in touch here and there and most recently I had the honor of spending time with John again when he decided to sell their home. John was always upbeat despite losing the love of his life and having such health challenges himself. He was an inspiration and a good human and I was lucky to know him. Thanks John for allowing me to be a part of your Journey ❤️