John Stuart Garwood

John Stuart Garwood passed peacefully in his sleep on May 21, 2026. John was born on October 6, 1933, in Charlottesville, VA, a son of the late Arthur Bruce Garwood Sr. and Lutie Williams Garwood.

John grew up on a farm, learning at an early age how to handle horses and cattle. John graduated from Greenwood High School and served two years with distinction in the United States Army stationed in Stuttgart, Germany.

John was first employed with C & P Telephone Company in Staunton, VA as a pole climber and then 41 years was employed with Dr. Pepper and Pepsi Cola working for J. W. Davis and W. R. Aikins which owned five Dr. Pepper plants in Virginia adding, Pepsi Cola to the Danville plant in 1969. John began his work at the Staunton plant in 1958, worked his way up from a route to supervision, then management for all five plants and for three years at all Dr. Pepper plants in Virginia, Maryland and Washington DC and later in Dallas, Texas. In the last decade of his employment John drove a tractor trailer for Pepsi Cola in Roanoke, Virginia.

After retirement in 1999, John worked part time for Townes Funeral Home. He and Nancy forged a close friendship with the late Bill and Kitty Townes and that relationship passed to the Townes children. After F. W. “Bill” Townes III death, John volunteered and enjoyed 20 years as caretaker at the family cabin for the Townes family and others at Wildwood Lake.

He was a member of First Baptist Church where he sang in the choir, served as a Deacon and on various committees. John enjoyed swimming at 5:00 AM every morning at the YMCA. John served as past president of the Danville Lions Club and was an active member of the Kiwanis Club of Danville.

In 1974 he married the former Nancy Wall Pruitt who predeceases John. John is survived by his brother Arthur Bruce Garwood Jr. (Frances); two step-children Brenda Pruitt, John Pruitt; two step-grandchildren, Elizabeth Coffey (Ben), Will Pruitt along with the Townes and Richardson family members. Gratitude is extended to caregivers Pat Poole, Bessie Waller, Natarsha Poole, the late James Mendenhall, Ron Gatlin, Danville Hospice, and the staff at Commonwealth Stratford House Danville.

A memorial service and celebration of life will be held Saturday May 30, 2026 at 11:00 AM in Townes Funeral Home Chapel with the Reverend Joe Northen officiating. The family will receive friends prior to the service from 10:00 AM until 11:00 AM. Following the service, all are invited to a lunch reception at Captain Cook Seafood Restaurant, 1067 Piney Forest Rd. Danville, VA 24540. Interment will be private.

Memorials may be made to the John S. and Nancy P. Garwood Fund at Community Foundation of the Dan River Region, 541 Loyal Street, Danville, VA 24541