John Ransley Stell, 88, passed away March 19, 2025 after a sudden and brief battle with renal cancer. John and his wife Evelyn, formerly of Southern Shores, NC, lived at Galloway Ridge in Pittsboro, NC since 2015.
John was born July 25, 1936 in Newark, NY to Grace Ransley Stell and Leon Louis Stell. He graduated from Newark High School in 1954. He received a BS from the New York State College of Forestry at Syracuse in 1958, and received an MS from the University of Arkansas. John’s military career began in the Air Force ROTC at Syracuse, where he graduated as a 2nd Lieutenant. His 30 year career in the U.S. Air Force took him to 4 continents. He retired as a Colonel in 1988. He loved flying fast. He flew the F-100, F-4 and F-111. His favorite plane was the F105—the Thud. “It was a very dependable plane”, he said. For bravery, skill and heroism he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the United States Air Medal, and bronze star.
John married Margery (Crabbe) Stell in 1958; they divorced in 1975. He married Evelyn Walworth Robinson in 1976. Together they lived in Tampa, FL; Tehran, Iran; Sembach, Germany; Arlington, VA; Newport News, VA; La Paz, Bolivia; and the Outer Banks, NC. In preparation for John’s assignment to La Paz, Bolivia, he and Evie spent a year in Arlington, VA attending the Foreign Language Institute in Roslyn, VA, to become fluent in Spanish. They loved to travel, visiting Spain, Italy, France, England, the Galapagos, and Tanzania. He had a lifelong love of fitness, boating and woodworking. At the age of 88 he was still able to walk 4 miles in an hour! His love of boating started with sailing, and continued with several ski boats. He and Evie refinished much of their furniture and he completed many home improvements over the years. He enjoyed a variety of projects in his ten years with the Galloway woodworkers.
John is survived by his sisters, Marian (David) Crossman and Lucinda (Kevin) Carroll; his four children, Cynthia Hemingway (Lee Tesdell), Katherine (Daniel) Pierson, Suzanne (William) Dinger, Michael (Jane) Stell; and four step children, Kathleen (Paul) Brugger, Susan (William) Alpaugh, Elizabeth (David) Roberts, Audrey (Matthew) McRae; nine grandchildren/step grandchildren, and eight great grandchildren. He is also survived by a special friend, Anne Borland Crabbe. He is predeceased by his wife Evelyn, and sister Nancy (Tom) Creighton. A Celebration of Life will be held April 23, at Galloway Ridge, Pittsboro, NC. Inurnment will be at Oakwood Cemetery in Mount Kisco, NY. John and Evie donated to many philanthropic causes. In lieu of flowers please donate to the charity of your choice.
