John Wesley Lockett Jr.

John Wesley Lockett, Jr. was born January 1, 1934 in Tuskegee, AL. He departed this life at age 87 on June 16, 2021 at Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank, NJ. John attended Tuskegee Public schools and was a member of the National Honor Society. While growing up in Tuskegee, he developed a love of playing tennis. He was a member of the American Tennis Association and won several trophies. Upon graduation from high school, he was awarded a four year athletic scholarship to A&T College in Greensboro, NC. Many years later he was inducted into the “A&T Athletic Hall of Fame.” He joined the ROTC and when he graduated in 1955 was commissioned to be an officer in the US Army. After serving in the Army from 1955 -1957 he served in the Army Reserves until 1965 when he was honorably discharged. He then accepted a position at Ft. Monmouth, NJ as an electronics engineer. During most of his career at Ft. Monmouth he worked for the Satellite Communications Agency. The job required that he travel extensively to several countries where he made speeches and presentations. He received numerous awards and citations for his work. After his retirement in 1988 he taught himself to play the saxophone and played with the Ocean Grove Summer Band for several years. John was an avid bridge player and golfer. John was very family oriented. His greatest joy was being a husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather. He was fondly called “Pram” and known as “Lockett.” He was the family historian and photographer. He liked doing creative projects and did most of the repairs and improvements to his home. He was predeceased by his parents John and Louvenia Lockett and his sister Johnnie Thomas. He leaves to share loving memories of him: his wife Gloria Thorpe Lockett, daughter Daphne Henderson, son Michael Lockett (daughter-in-law Landas Lockett), granddaughters Stephanie Snyder (grandson-in-law Jedediah Snyder), Lisa Henderson, and Laina Lockett, great-grandchildren Lucy and Leo Snyder, and a host of relatives and friends. John was greatly loved by his family and will be sorely missed. Visitation will be from 10:00 am until the service at 11:00 am on Saturday June 19, 2021, at the Bongarzone Funeral Home, 2400 Shafto Road, Tinton Falls. Interment to follow at Monmouth Memorial Park, Tinton Falls. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests donations to the Parker Family Health Center, 211 Shrewsbury Avenue, Red Bank, NJ 07701.

John Wesley Lockett Jr.

January 1, 1934 - June 16, 2021