John Van Ness

John Abbey Van Ness was born in Kerrville, Texas to Rodney James Van Ness and Lucretia Abbey Van Ness March 15, 1951. He died in hospice care in Palatka, Florida on April 11, 2025 after a year-long battle with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma cancer. This was his second bout of the cancer in which he had been in remission for many years. He was a resident of Interlachen, Florida. He was preceded in death by his sisters Joela Gayle Johnson, Patricia Ann Manuel, Sandra Lou Perales, and his parents. He is survived by his wife Andrea N. Jones of Interlachen, FL, his daughter Jennifer Abbey Van Ness of San Antonio, TX, granddaughter Lily Elise Van Ness-Grounds of Austin, TX, daughter Victoria Abbey Van Ness of Elgin, TX, his brother Jeff Glendening of Tarzan, TX and numerous nieces and nephews. 

John got a charge out of music growing up in San Antonio, TX enjoying playing the drums in his high school band, at home, and on the steering wheel of any vehicle he drove. John loved the outdoors, water, and the earth in general and had a passion for collecting guns, knives, and boats. In his formative years he enjoyed spending the summers at the beach in Port Aransas, TX. As he got older he hunted and fished with his father and friends and spent ample time in the south Texas brush country. After graduating from high school in 1969 he moved to Austin, TX to attend the University of Texas as an engineering student. He spent summer semesters working on drilling rigs in the Gulf. When it was time to transition to an office setting for his career track he decided that he would pursue other career routes. This led him to eventually becoming a Police Officer in Austin as part of the 1978 60th Cadet class. John taught fellow officers how to scuba dive for the department and taught private scuba lessons as well. He emphasized to his children that he had become a police officer in hopes that he could be of service to and help those in need. He shared that there had been many occasions where he would have been warranted to use lethal means with criminals or unwell people and instead he chose to deescalate dangerous situations verbally or by hand to hand force. He left the police department in 1992 and took the opportunity to create his dream shop, Austin Outdoor Gear and Guidance. It was working in the shop, building boats, making new friends and alliances, teaching and supporting others getting into nature that truly fulfilled him. John was a patient teacher whether it was by doing kayak and canoe lessons, firearm safety, or scuba lessons. He with his team facilitated fresh and salt waterway clean-ups and family friendly boating events such as Rock the Boat, Paddlefest, and Lighthouse Lakes Trails. He also invested his time in doing permaculture activities. He had a great broad sense of humor, a beaming smile, and an authentic warm, generous heart. He was loved and liked by many. He spoke highly of his experiences in nature where he felt closest to his Maker. He wondered at and was grateful for altruistic acts by strangers and friends alike and miraculous events and coincidences that graced him in his adult life. He lived his last years on acreage in the Florida woods adjacent to the Ocala National Forest where he enjoyed observing the native animals in the area, swimming, boating, and fishing in his pond, and the company of his most loyal companion dog, Scout. His last two years were spent as a newlywed to his wife Andrea. They were married one year before the aggressive cancer returned. John’s family would like to send their eternal thanks to her for her loving kindness and steadfast support through the end and now. 

If you are moved to make a donation in his name please do so to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), Lymphoma Research Foundation (LRF), or The Nature Conservancy

Crevasse's Simple Cremation is honored to serve the Van Ness family.