April 24, 1952 – May 21, 2024
OCRACOKE — John Thomas Spagnolo of Ocracoke Island Village passed away peacefully in his home on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, while bravely fighting cancer. He was 72 years old. John was born on April 24th, 1952, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. He and his sister, Joan, enjoyed their childhood together in a loving home. After graduating from The Pingry School, John took time to explore and reside in several spaces and places across the United States before settling in Greenville, North Carolina. While attending East Carolina University, he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Science Education, Physics and his Master’s degree in Instructional Technology. During this time, he also taught high school science, math and technology. He led remote learning programs, tutored, and guided environmental education trips with his students. He served as an educator to the NC Department of Public Instruction as well as a faculty member for the NC Legislature School for Youth Leadership Development. He also taught classes as an adjunct at East Carolina University.
In 1998, John and his family headed west to make a home in Todd, North Carolina. John joined the Reich College of Education at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC as a full-time faculty member. As the Technology Specialist for Faculty Development, he provided support to the RCOE faculty and students in many capacities, and he was very passionate about his job. John was also a member of a multi-disciplinary collaboration with the Dept of Curriculum and Instruction and the Teaching Excellence and Achievement (TEA) program. He helped host and traveled internationally with his colleagues and touched the lives of many educators and students. He retired from Appalachian State University in December of 2019. Upon retirement, he continued to travel the country and abroad and ultimately landed on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, where he found equilibrium. His life on Ocracoke Island was his dream that came true.
John aimed to find a connection with every person that he encountered, considering each interaction an opportunity to make a new friend. He was well-known and beloved by all of the communities that he was a part of. His students, colleagues, teammates, jam-mates, friends and family will remember him as a force of goodness. John loved the game of basketball and coached and played in many leagues. He was fit and strong his whole life and won notable medals, such as the 60+ Senior Games State Championship title in 2014 with his team, the High Country Mountaineers. John enjoyed teaching adult Sunday school at Zion UMC in Mill Creek, NC. He appreciated the philosophical doctrines of Taoism, and he was a talented poet, songwriter, and musician. John loved gardening and nurtured every seed that he ever planted. He beamed with pride and joy when he was able to share his bountiful harvests from his garden in Mill Creek and absolutely loved his job at the Ocracoke Garden Center. His career as an educator came full circle when he had the opportunity to work with kids at the Hyde 21st Century Community Learning Center after-school program and as board member for Ocracoke Alive. He was both a teacher and a student of life and strived to learn and grow every day.
He loved cooking for others and sharing his fresh catch with friends and family. Everyone that knew John understands that his love for fishing was legendary. He would fish with his father as a young boy and his passion grew throughout his lifetime as he became increasingly connected with the natural world. He would find the perfect pocket in an unnamed mountain tributary to drop a fly or let his intuitive reading of the tides guide him to nail the most impressive fish. John really enjoyed fishing and camping with his children. He was incredibly proud of his kids, and he loved them tremendously. He will “always love all ways” and his adventurous and benevolent spirit will shine on us forever.
John was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas and Harriet Spagnolo. He is survived by his daughter, Whitney Marie Spagnolo and husband Paul Tuttle, his two sons: Thomas Ryan Spagnolo and Dylan James Spagnolo and partner Hailey Fitzgerald, and his sister, Joan Spagnolo and niece, Christine Bednar.
Celebration of life to be held on Ocracoke Island on June 16, 2024, and many more to follow.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to one of the following nonprofit organizations in his honor:
Ocracoke Preservation Society
Todd Community Preservation Organization
New River Conservancy
Watauga Riverkeeper
Blue Ridge Conservancy
Ashe County Arts Council
Ocracats, Inc
Ocracoke Alive
Ocracoke Community Radio
Friends of Goose Creek NC
NC Friends of State Parks
Your local NPR station
National Audubon Society
Twiford Funeral Homes, Outer Banks is assisting the family with arrangements. Condolences and memories may be shared at www.TwifordFH.com.
