William John Scripps Jr. passed away on Mother’s Day, May 12, 2024, at home. He was 78 years old and shared 54 years of marriage with his high school sweetheart, Diane. They raised five children: Cass, Dawn, Shawn, Lance, and Nathan. John, or Pop, Diddy, Dad or Papou, beamed anytime he was talking about his kids, 13 grandchildren or two great-grandchildren.

Born in Birmingham, Alabama, John was raised largely by his mom, Marjorie Bowen. His mother’s brief marriage to WJ Scripps gave him a name, put “newsprint in his veins,” and gave him relatives that were influential but largely absent from his life. A few years later, Col. Bill Hotmann gave him a sister, a passion for flying, and an adventurous childhood that included the princess of Greece serving as their babysitter. Though “Pop” passed while John was in middle school, he would share these stories the rest of his life.

Johnnie ran track and flew in the Civil Air Patrol while attending Shades Valley High School, where he met Diane Dorsett. He taught her how to drive in “Bounce-a-lot” and showed her the Birmingham lights at night from a Cessna 110. They only spent a year at separate colleges before eloping in ‘65 and living in the married student housing at Georgia Tech until graduating in ‘68. Their first son, Cass, was born there in ‘66 and their youngest, Nathan, graduated from Georgia Tech in 2004. John served as alumni president in Birmingham after graduation and was a lifelong fan of all things Tech, especially The Varsity.

John and Diane made their first home in Hoover to raise their growing family near her parents, LL “Daddy Bo” and Genevieve “Grand G’’ Dorsett, and his mom, Marjorie “Grand Mama” Hotmann. They all enjoyed dancing at The Club, playing Canasta, and spending time at the family Lewis Smith lake house, “LaDonDi.” Dawn joined the family in ‘69, followed by Shawn in ‘74, Lance in ‘78 and Nathan in ‘81.

John managed steel mills for US Steel after college and transferred north in ‘82 to Oil City, Pennsylvania, and then the Pittsburgh area. After four years, two mills, two houses and often waking the family up at 2 a.m. to flip donuts with chopsticks at a local shop, the family headed back home to Alabama. They lived in Mountain Brook a few years before settling into Bluff Park where the younger three grew up.

The decade in Bluff Park was filled with soccer games, car shows, beach trips, swimming with manatees, air shows, road trips to visit Grand G in Texas, visiting every roadside attraction imaginable, cornbread at Grand Mama’s and church on Wednesdays and Sundays. John worked down the hill at Royal Automotive, usually coming home for lunch to watch The Andy Griffith Show. He and Diane danced every time there was a dance floor, teaching anyone around the Tennessee Wiggle Wobble.

John and Diane shared 23 years in their home nestled in the trees along a ridge at the Hoover/Vestavia border before her passing in 2019. Together, they traveled to San Francisco and Hawaii, shopped the World’s Longest Yard Sale, stirred the World’s Largest Pot of Butter Beans, enjoyed festivals all over the state of Alabama, and particularly enjoyed seeking out storyteller Kathryn Tucker Windham.

John was a regular at the New Merkel House Senior Center, and made friends quickly. He loved spending time at The Alabama Theater, the curiosity shop What’s on Second?, the Barber Motorsports Museum, and at weekend car shows or game-watching parties. John made it to Mayberry on a dream road trip with his friend Makeda and her son Brandon. He enjoyed digging into and sharing his unique family history. The only thing John loved more than a good “remembery” was singing happy birthday, full volume, with many extra verses.

John is survived by his five children, their five wonderful partners, a combined 13 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; sister, Gretchen and husband Scott; brother-in-law, Don Dorsett; and many nieces and nephews. All of whom often heard: “Give a hug and get a hug. Be safe, happy and healthy in your travels. Call me when you get there. I love you.”

Donations may be made in John’s honor to the New Merkel House in Vestavia, Alabama.

Memorial Celebration of Life services will be held at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, June 15, at Cahaba Heights United Methodist Church, 3139 Cahaba Heights Rd., Birmingham, AL 35243.