John Willie Hancock

John Willie Hancock, Jr. born April 27, 1945 to the late John Willie Hancock, Sr. and late Mary Hancock (Bates) of Detroit, Michigan.  John also known as Bubba was one of seven children:   Dorothy “Dot” Honor (Franklin Honor, deceased), Ronald Hancock, Nancy Patterson (close cousin and like a sister), Deborah Mace (Gregory Mace), Pamela Henry (Heflin Henry), Elder, Craig Hancock (Darlene Hancock), Thalia “Pee Wee” Kubeck (Richard Kubeck) all from  Detroit, Michigan.

At the age of 17, John moved to Boston, MA from West Virginia to start his life.  In 1966, he met his wife  Joyce Potts and wedded May  7, 1966 and began his family.

John was a loving husband to Joyce Hancock and loving father to his four  children:  Tanga “Tangi” Lee Hancock (deceased), Shevon Butler (husband Al Butler), Darrell Hancock and Omega Hancock.  John also the grandfather to Selina Hancock (deceased), Dayna Berry, Shayna Hancock, Jannai Ruffin and great grandson Darryl Hodges.  John loved his children, grandchildren and family so very much and his world was centered around them.

John started his career at General Dynamics and later moved on to work at the Boston State Hospital for many years.  In the early eighties John relocated to Providence, Rhode Island where he became a Lead Housekeeper at the Steere House Nursing Home and Rehabilitation.  John was always a leader and cared about the people, he noticed a need for a Union and was praised for implementing the Union at the Steere House.

John also held a position as a security guard at St. Josephs Hospital in       Providence, Rhode Island.  He later went to school to become a videographer and landed a job at the local cable station.  Soon after, John went on to retire from years of working.

In 2017, John wrote a children’s book that he was so very proud of called “The Rock”.   John was really good with children and would make homemade ice cream in the summer at his apartment complex, the children would see him and shout “are you making ice cream today” and that brought him so much joy.

John will be forever remembered by his wife, children, grandchildren, sisters, brothers, uncle(s) Delbert Hancock (New York), Eneth Hancock (Oklahoma), Joseph Patterson (Ohio), aunt Mary Rollins (West Virginia) and a whole host of nieces, nephews cousins, family and close friends.

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