John Benjamin Sewell III

John Benjamin Sewell III, 70, of Beaufort, North Carolina, passed from this life suddenly on Monday, February 27, 2023, at his home.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, March 8th at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Beaufort, with Rev. Tammy Lee officiating.  Burial will take place in the church cemetery. The family will join friends in St. Paul’s Fellowship Hall following the service.

John was born in the old Morehead City Hospital on May 6, 1952.  He was raised in Beaufort and led what he recalled as an idyllic childhood.  He had friends and cousins as playmates, swam in Taylor’s Creek, and played little league baseball with his father as his coach. He was a Boy Scout and attained the rank of Eagle and attended the 1968 World Jamboree.  He grew up in faith at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.

John graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1974 with a degree in journalism.  He worked at several newspapers around the state over a several year period.  He then returned home to Beaufort.  His days were busy as he was a very involved father to his son, Jacob.  He taught Sunday school at St. Paul’s and became a Mason and a member of Franklin Lodge where he also served as Master of the Lodge.  He was self-employed in several capacities and had been a licensed plumber for more than 20 years when he retired in 2019.

Once he retired, he enjoyed playing golf regularly and RV camping with his wife.  Always a talented wood worker, he took up decoy carving beginning with a class at Carteret Community College and soon after became a member of the Core Sound Decoy Carving Guild.

John had a strong personal faith in God and Jesus as his savior.  He will be remembered for his laugh and his kindness to others.  His was a life well lived and he was a well-loved man.

Those remaining to cherish his memory include his wife, Ellen Sewell, of the home; son, Jacob Paul Sewell and wife Emily Sinning Sewell of Morehead City; sister, Brenda Meadows of Fuquay-Varina; nieces, Erica Peterson and husband Terry of Emerald Isle and Kimber Meadows and husband Jared of Maui, Hawaii; nephew, John Meadows and wife Michelle of Boise, Idaho; and two grandchildren Jacob Paul Sewell, Jr. and Vivien Evelyn Sewell.

He was preceded in death by his parents, John Benjamin Sewell, Jr. and Evelyn Salter Sewell.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Core Sound Decoy Carvers Guild, 1574 Harkers Island Road, Beaufort, NC 28516.

Family and friends are welcome to submit online condolences at www.mundenfuneralhome.net

Arrangements by Munden Funeral Home & Crematory in Morehead City, NC.