John Otis Card

John Otis Card left this world on Monday, February 19, 2024, with his brother, Arthur Lee Card Sr., and his niece, Valeria Hardy, by his side. John Otis was born on October 8, 1937, in Auburn, Alabama. He was the beloved oldest son of Oda Gentry Card and Bennie Lee Card, which earned him the nickname “Sonny.” After high school, he served his country by joining the Navy in 1955. 

He married his loving wife, Eloise Rowe, on September 27, 1958. Together they created a large caring family. While they were both from Alabama, they would spend the majority of their 59 years together in Cleveland, Ohio, where many of their family members had relocated. 

John Otis worked for and retired from General Motors. As he grew older, his active social life transitioned into an active church membership at Second Calvary Missionary Baptist Church. He will be remembered as a faithful Deacon, a servant leader for Faith and Hope, a supporter of the Bible club, Yes I Can, at James A. Garfield Elementary School, a supporter of Sunday School and Camp Calvary, and a volunteer for Meals on Wheels. 

He was preceded in death by his wife, Eloise Rowe Card, his children, John Otis Card Junior, Linda Ann Jackson, Lois Regeina (Ray) Brown, and Mitchell Lewis (Beverly) Rowe, and several of his siblings, Anne Frank Card, Mae Joe Miller, Darius Card Sr., Gentry Card, Nathaniel Card, and Katye Louise Card. 

He is survived by his son, Derrick Martinez (Darlene) Jordan, his five siblings, Bennie Royal (Indiana), Arthur Card Sr. (Ohio), Uynella (Thomas James) Card (Ohio), Ritchie Humphrey (Ohio), and Dexter (Shirley) Card (Alabama), his aunt, Fannie Holivay (Ohio), and many grandchildren and nieces and nephews.