John Joseph Verdinella

John Joseph Verdinella, 79, of Lynchburg, passed away Tuesday, January 6, 2026, at Lynchburg General Hospital.

Born in Lynchburg on May 22, 1946, he was the son of the late Tony and Annie Theresa Fry Verdinella. He was also preceded in death by his wife, Judy Verdinella.

John proudly served his country in the United States Air Force. Following his military service, he dedicated 35 years of his life to the United States Postal Service in Lynchburg before retiring.

A man with a deep passion for Mustang cars, John was a proud owner of various models throughout his life. His current car, a Mustang Dark Horse, was his most cherished. Taking his Mustangs out for long drives was one of his favorite pastimes, those drives were often paired with another favorite pastime—stopping by Dairy Queen for ice cream. John was well known around town by his personalized license plate, “GT Man,” a fitting tribute to his passion.

John is survived by his three sons, John J. Verdinella, Jr. and his wife Norma, Michael Wayne Verdinella and his wife Doris, and Brandon Scott Branham. He leaves behind three grandchildren: Jackson Verdinella and his wife Cassidy, and their child Kamryn; Joshua Verdinella and his child Aubrey; and Derrick Verdinella and his wife Summer, and their children Alessia and Olivia. He is also survived by his brother, Paul E. Verdinella, and his sister, Joann Waibel and her husband Larry.

A memorial service will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, January 11, 2026 at Holy Cross Catholic Church. A reception will follow the service at the church.

A graveside inurnment with military honors will be conducted at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, January 17, 2026 at Holy Cross Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, www.stjude.org.