Johnny Dan McFadden || Obituary

Johnny Dan McFadden passed away in his home on March 29, 2025, at the age of 75.  He was born in Paris, Texas at St. Joseph’s Hospital on August 8, 1949.  He received special treatment from the nuns and hospital staff because his parents Mary & John were having a baby!  He was born to Mary Alice Price McFadden (still kicking) and John David McFadden (deceased).  He had one sister, Mary Lou Johnson (preceded in death), whom he tormented regularly as a child by waking her from sleep through endless tickling.
Johnny was a mountain of a man.  So much so, that his grandson thought the song “Big Bad John” must have been written about his PawPaw.  Johnny had many names over the years, depending on how you knew him.  To his wife of 55 years, Jeannette, he was affectionately called “Babe”, “Baby” and other more colorful names (use your imagination). To his children, he started out as a Dad but later became PawPaw.    The rest of the family was unoriginal and stuck with Johnny but to his coworkers, he was always referred to as Big John or Big Mac.  To the littles he met in public, he was often called Santa.

He has three children.  His son Johnny Jr (John John), and daughters Jennifer (Jenny), and Jodie.  The latter married an Okie many years back, Arvel Wayne Gaskey, but we try not to hold that against her, and it isn’t easy.  We really do not need to list his kids though, because the real apples of his eyes came along later when his grandchildren, Cecily, Jacob, and Justin (who recently left this world) arrived on the scene.  This trouble-making trio reigned supreme for many years but alas, they too lost their rank in the pecking order when the Great Grands came along – Jaxon, Jema, Andrew, Adam, and Macy.

Johnny was more at home on his tractor than anywhere else.  He could fix anything you put in front of him.  It may take him a while because anything worth doing is worth doing right. He appreciated any cuisine that would light you on fire and have your gut begging for mercy.  He enjoyed the simple things in life – a great wife, quiet kids, loud TV, napping on the back porch swing, napping in his favorite recliner, and napping pretty much anywhere else he decided to sit for a spell.  If you happened to get behind him on the highway, prepare to take it a little slower and question whether he was ever going to change lanes since his blinker would be on the entire trip.  His only choice of attire was overalls, a worn-out straw hat and a handkerchief in his pocket that was constantly being utilized.

Johnny McFadden was the type of man that his word and his handshake was better than any legal contract.  He had a large presence that frightened many small children, all teenagers, and most grown men.  After all, like the song says, “everyone knew, you didn’t give any lip to Big John.”

He will be greatly missed by many, but we know if there is any work to be done in Heaven, he will gladly jump in and help.  See you later Big John!

Services will be held at Fry-Gibbs Funeral Home on Saturday, April 5th at 2:00 pm.  Burial will follow at Mount Taber Cemetery in Caviness, TX.  The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Friday, April 4th from 6:00-8:00 pm.

Online condolences may be sent to the McFadden family by visiting www.fry-gibbs.com