Joe John, a former North Carolina appeals court judge, state crime lab director and until this week a state House member, has died at age 85, his family announced on Wednesday.
John, a Wake County Democrat elected to a fifth term in November, revealed a throat cancer diagnosis in December. Over the weekend John , saying that he had received a terminal diagnosis and needed to focus on his health and spending time with family. The resignation was effective Tuesday, according to the General Assembly's website.
In a social media post, John's family said Wednesday that John had "passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family."
John 鈥渨as a dedicated statesman who selflessly committed decades of his life to serving the people of North Carolina, leaving an enduring legacy in public service,鈥� read the statement, which didn't provide details on where and when he died.
A native of Indiana, John received multiple degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, including a law degree in 1971. He was a former assistant district attorney in Guilford County, then later a District Court judge and Superior Court judge. He joined the intermediate-level Court of Appeals in 1992, where he served through 2000.
In 2010, then-Attorney General Roy Cooper named John the interim director of what was then the State Bureau of Investigation鈥檚 crime laboratory. John became the permanent lab director the following year and remained at the job for a few more years.
John was elected to the state House in 2016, defeating a Republican incumbent. John often focused on judicial and law enforcement issues during his time in the chamber.
Gov. Josh Stein, himself a former attorney general, said his wife, Anna, had clerked for John while he was at the Court of Appeals.
鈥淎s a judge, he was thoughtful and just,鈥� Stein said on X. 鈥淎s Director of the State Crime Lab, he raised its standards so our scientists could succeed. And as a legislator, he has been a champion for justice and public education. Judge John was kind and good.鈥�
House Minority Leader Robert Reives, a Chatham County Democrat, said in a news release that John was 鈥渙ne of the best men I鈥檝e known 鈥� a strong leader, outstanding public servant and a great friend.鈥�
Service details will be released soon, his family said.
Wake County Democrats will choose someone to fill John鈥檚 seat for his two-year term through the end of 2026.
