John Richard Ireland, age 63, of Buckhannon, WV, died Thursday, October 15, 2026, at WVU Medicine J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown, WV. He was born August 1, 1963, in Buckhannon, a son of the late Robert E. and Frances “Franke” E. Bias Ireland.
John is survived by his sister, Jenny Beer and husband Pete, or Nu Nu as John called her; his niece, Erin Smith and husband Chad; his nephew, Ethan Beer and wife Stephanie; two great-nieces, Christine Riffle and Grace Beer; three great-nephews, Gabriel Beer and Chase and Cole Smith; his aunts, Margaret Walls and Jackie Porter; and many cousins.
His memory will live on in the many people who cared for him, laughed with him and were fortunate enough to experience his unique and beautiful spirit.
John Richard Ireland, affectionately known as John, Johnny or John John, was truly one of a kind. He was an incredible, loving and ornery soul whose childlike innocence, unique personality and remarkable ability to touch the hearts of others made him a gift to most everyone fortunate enough to know him.
People often described John as a gift, and those who knew him understood just how true that was. He had a special way of reaching people’s hearts. His love was genuine and his ornery spirit brought smiles and laughter to those around him. John didn’t have to do anything extraordinary to make a difference; he simply had to be himself.
John spent the first 60 years of his life at home and was loved and cared for by his parents. In 2023, John began a new chapter of his life at St. Joseph’s Hospital Nursing Care Facility, where he spent his remaining time.
The people who cared for John there became much more than staff; many became his second family. Their kindness, compassion and dedication provided him with love and companionship. His family will always be grateful for the special place they held in his life.
John had his own unmistakable ways of showing affection. If he really liked you, you might receive a nose bop or an affectionate tug on the ear. These gestures were uniquely John, his own special way of letting you know that you were someone he cared about.
When it was time for someone to leave, he might send them off with his familiar command to “scram!” Those who have experienced his nose bops, ear tugs and ornery antics will carry those memories for years to come.
John found joy in life’s simple pleasures. In his later years, he loved trains, music boxes, looking through catalogs and going out to eat. The things that made him happy were part of what made him so special.
John was loved by most everyone who knew him. His life was a reminder that a person’s worth is never measured by expectations or accomplishments, but by the love they give, the connections they make and the hearts they touch. His life made a difference in ways that cannot always be put into words but will never be forgotten.
John reminded us that love doesn’t need grand gestures, that joy can be found in simple moments and that a person’s presence alone can make the world a better place. His life was special and mattered not because of what the world expected of him, but because of who he was.
John was deeply loved, he will be profoundly missed and he will never be forgotten.
Friends will be received Tuesday, October 20, 2026, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Poling-St. Clair Funeral Home. A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home with Pastor Holt Poling officiating. Burial will follow in the Buckhannon Memorial Park in Buckhannon.
Online condolences may be made to the family at www.polingstclair.com. Poling-St. Clair Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
