John Edwin Weekly, 42, of Barboursville, West Virginia, formerly of Chicago, died in his family home after a long illness April 2. While John resided in the Barboursville area, he was a member of Pea Ridge Baptist Church, where he served as part-time youth director. John graduated from Barboursville High School in 1980 and Cum Laude from Georgetown College in 1984, where he was a member of Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity and was active in student government. He attended Eastern Michigan University and Marshall University where he completed his Masters degree in history. He then graduated with a Masters of Divinity from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. John first moved to Chicago to participate in an urban mission program of the American Baptist Churches.
John provided case management and counseling services at the Night Ministry. Later, he was employed by the Howard Brown Health Center for many years and in a number of roles, including: HIV Case Manager, Volunteer Manager, and in Human Resources. John easily engaged with newcomers to Chicago’s GLBT community and was a strong advocate for members of the community whose voices are often marginalized, including transgendered and youth. He started one of the nation’s first support groups for PWA’s taking Protease Inhibitors. He often gave talks to various faith groups about GLBT, sexuality and spirituality issues. He was an active member in Chicago’s leather community.
After he learned of his own infection with HIV, he became an even more zealous advocate for providing culturally competent, non-judgemental, accurate health information on sexuality and recreational drug use.
John was preceded in death by his father, Glen E. Weekly on Jan. 19, 2005. He is survived by his mother, Helen M. Weekly, with whom he resided at the time of his death. Also surviving are his brother, William (Bill) Weekly and his wife, Kathy of Barboursville; niece Shanna G. Weekly of Huntington; nephew Lindsey A. Baker of Seattle; and great-nephew, Peyton Graham Weekly of Barboursville. John is also survived by aunts and several cousins, as well as numerous friends local and afar.
A Celebration of Life for John will be held in Chicago at Grace Baptist Church, 5253 N. Kenmore, Chicago, (773) 334-9003, Sunday, May 1 at 3 p.m.