04/28/2021

Obituary for John Wellington

Father of Rocco “Rocky” Wellington, Owner of Wellington Funeral Service and Funeral Director at F.D. Mason Funeral Home

Eld. John Wellington was born November 1, 1928 in Ashe County in the town of Clifton, North Carolina.  He is a son of John Quincy and Annabelle Miller Wellington. At an early age, he learned the value of hard work. This trait was passed on to his children, all of whom he loved very much. Together with the love of his life, Alice Redmond, John taught the love of Christ and the church, discipline, respect, love for each other, and how to forgive those who treat you wrongfully.

John, also known to some as Buster, loved to fish, the Cleveland Indians and the Cleveland Browns. He bought a motor home some years ago and would take his family to North Carolina on summer vacations, fishing trips and out of town church conventions. He worked for Republic Steel Corporation in the Sinter Plant and Blast Furnace Departments for 42 years, many times working doubles to support his family and others that were in need. In the early years of his marriage, he was a member of the Holy Temple COGIC and sang in the #2 choir. Later when his brother-in-law, Eld. Andrew Redmond started his church, John became a trustee, an ordained deacon and eventually an ordained minister and the assistant pastor of Messiah Holiness COGIC.  As time went on, he became co-pastor with his son Eld. Rocco V. Wellington, Sr. at his son’s church, Bread of Life COGIC. After John’s children became grown and started having families of their own, his love increased with the arrival of his grandchildren. He loved talking about them, the great-grandchildren and the one great-grandson. He truly was a family man and enjoyed having everyone around him as he got older.

He was proceeded in death by his loving wife, Alice, affectionately named “Honey” by him; two grandchildren, Teneka Wellington and Gabrielle Santiago; his parents; and siblings, Edward aka “Sonny”, Robert, and Margaret.

He leaves to cherish his memory and love; two sons, Pastor Rocco (Pamela) Wellington, Sr. of Akron, and Daniel Wellington; two daughters, Andrea Ford and Avis (Joseph) Santiago, all of Youngstown; 12 grandchildren, Krystal, Rocco, Jr., Sheneka (Justin), Dana, Aneshia, Alicia, Ashley, Adriane, John (who was his main caretaker), Adenia, Desmond (Shanice), and the baby, Caitlyn; 19 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandson; his sister Josephine Wellington of North Carolina; brothers-in-law, Pastor Andrew Redmond of Youngstown, and William Henry (Leodell) Redmond of Houston; and sister-in-law, Anna Ervin-Marks of Youngstown; and a host of many dear nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.   

Services were held April 22, 2021 at Grace Evangelistic Temple Church in Youngstown. Burial was at the Tod Homestead Cemetery also in Youngstown. Arrangements were handled by the Wellington Funeral Service of Akron along with the F.D. Mason Funeral Home of Youngstown.