Obituary of Daniel Oloruntobi James John

Daniel Oluruntobi James John died peacefully with both parents by his side on February 17, 2023 after a little over three years courageously battling renal medullary carcinoma. Daniel was born on December 10, 1994 to Gideon John and Karen Pompey and was the oldest of his three siblings.

Daniel attended elementary school in Hillsboro, NJ and Arbor Intermediate School in Piscataway, NJ before moving to Georgia where he attended Ola High School in McDonough, GA. Where he graduated at the top of his class in 2013. Following high school, Daniel returned to New Jersey to attend Rutgers University in New Brunswick where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Health. While at Rutgers, Daniel enrolled in a study abroad program the summer of 2014 at the University of Ibadan in Nigeria. After graduating from Rutgers, he was offered a position at Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) as an Ambulatory Care Assistant in Manhattan, New York and later transferred to the MSK location in Basking Ridge, NJ. Because he “just could not sit around doing nothing,” Daniel started his own jewelry business called The Chain Game. While battling cancer, he earned a Master’s Degree in Health Administration from New York University in May of 2022.

One of the amazing things about Daniel throughout this entire cancer journey was his positive outlook on life regardless of his illness, and his determination to enjoy the time he had left. His greatest passions included traveling, reading, music, dancing, gaming, and spending time with family and friends. Daniel’s love of traveling took him all over the world including several Caribbean islands every summer with family and friends, Canada, Iceland, Germany, the Netherlands, and Nigeria. He travelled across the US and his last trip was in the fall of 2022 to California and Las Vegas. Daniel’s bucket list included zip lining, deep sea diving, skydiving, and jet skiing, all of which he was able to accomplish.

Daniel was a devoted church member for several years at First Presbyterian Church in Dayton, NJ where he was baptized, St. John’s Episcopal Church in Somerville, NJ, and St. Francis Episcopal Church in Dunellen, NJ where he served as an Acolyte. After relocating to Georgia, Daniel attended St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church in McDonough where he also served as an Acolyte and assisted with Children’s Church. While back in New Jersey attending university, Daniel worshiped at Abundant Life in New Brunswick.

Daniel was preceded in death by his great grandparents on both sides of the family, paternal grandfather Sunday John, maternal grandmother Dawn Ann Frances Pompey, and cousin Augustine Anton Zaizay,.

Although death has removed Daniel from our midst, his love for life, music, gaming, adventuring, traveling, and dancing will always be a treasured reminder to all of his friends and family.  To celebrate Daniel’s life and amazing memories, he leaves behind: his mother Karen Pompey, stepfather Jerome Daniels, and brother James of McDonough, GA; his father Gideon John, stepmother Natacha John, and siblings Naomi and Nathaniel of Plainfield, NJ. Also left to mourn is Daniel’s paternal grandmother Mojisola John of New Brunswick, NJ, his maternal grandfather, James Pompey of McDonough, GA, and several aunties and uncles: Elizabeth (Tunde) Akinleye, Mathew (Michelle) John, Shadrack (Caroline) John, Valerie John, Godfred and Miriam Pompey, Aphene Fraser, Jo-Anne and Dave Yearwood, Beverley Jackson, and Roxanne Pompey. Daniel’s cousins include Victor, Ebun, Jende, Emmanuel, Chris, Brianna, Robert, Aaron, Max, Sebastian, Biancha (special partner John Cannon Jr.), Dominique (Kayla), Natasha (Bernie), Trisha, Sasha, Tonya, Toni, Kayla and Kyran.

Additionally, Daniel leaves behind other extended family members including great aunts, great uncles, and second cousins.  He also had many amazing friends whose lives he touched in his brief life on earth: Sean Daly, Evan Camone, Gopal Velogala, Jerry Park, Timmy Joseph and many more.

There will be two funeral services to honor Daniel; one in New Jersey on Friday February 24^th at Plinton Curry Funeral Home, 428 Elizabeth Ave Somerset, NJ 08873 and another in McDonough, GA on March 4^th at St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church, 1865 GA-20 McDonough, GA 30252. Interment will be at Eastlawn Memorial Park, 640 McGarity Rd, McDonough, Georgia.