John J. Hanna, Jr.

PLEASE NOTE UPDATED FUNERAL TIME OF 3PM WEDNESDAY. John Joseph Hanna, Jr. (Johnny), passed away unexpectedly Friday morning, May 16, 2025. Johnny was born to John Joseph Hanna, Sr. and Susie Mansour Hanna in Newnan, Georgia, on June 6th, 1951. He graduated from Newnan High School in 1969 and attended Georgia Southern College. After earlier careers in the car and liquor businesses, in 1992, Johnny founded Contemporary Catering, Inc. with his sister Jennifer Hanna serving as president of the company until their retirement in 2023. Johnny had a true head for business and took great care of the financial end of the company while also being the kindhearted yet firm boss to his beloved staff, offering them much care and concern. He was a boss who provided a shoulder and a sympathetic ear, just as he did for so many in other areas of his life. Johnny loved what Contemporary Catering provided and stood for and was immensely proud of the accomplishment of the thirty-plus years of business, along with he fact that he had created and partnered with his sister, Jennifer, in achieving this success. Johnny always said that to tell a story, he had to go back to the beginning of time with details, but all who were regaled by his stories found them profound, amusing, and interesting. He loved Newnan, Georgia, and longed for the days gone by in his hometown. Reminiscing about old Newnan with those who also lived it and remembered those times made him very happy. Johnny was extremely proud of his Lebanese heritage. He loved the culture, the food, the warmth of the Lebanese community, and he loved how his grandparents made their way to this country as young immigrants, on both the Hanna and Mansour sides of the family, going on to create lasting legacies through all the ensuing generations. You cannot talk about Johnny without talking about poker. Not only did he love the game, but he was great at it with a natural talent and adeptness that made him, more often than not, very successful at the table. His weekly poker game of the last three decades is legendary, and the friendships and camaraderie that came to Johnny through his love of the game brought him much joy and created numerous lasting relationships. Johnny valued his relationships greatly and made earnest efforts to stay connected, lend an ear, help in any way possible, and just be available. For that reason, he was blessed with more friends than most can count, and many regarded him as their "best" friend. Johnny treated everyone the same, and all were always welcomed into the home he shared with his sister, Jennifer. Johnny was a quiet man of faith. While not a regular churchgoer, his Catholic faith never left him, and he lived his life in a way that showed the depths of Christianity through his integrity, character, a bigger-than-a-mountain charitable heart, and acceptance and treatment of others. He simply lived a life of doing the right thing. As a younger man, Johnny brought three young siblings into his life: Ronnie, Levi, and Cory. These children needed a father, guidance, love, and protection. Johnny selflessly assumed the role of father to them, and the lifelong development of the father/son relationship ensued. Johnny watched his sons become men who brought him such great pride and, in return, received their devoted love, respect, and acknowledgment of how indeed his fatherly love had shaped their lives. Their bonds will have lasting effects. The most significant relationship in Johnny's life was the sibling love he shared with Jennifer. With the early deaths of their beloved parents, John and Susie and their three beloved siblings, Ellis, George, and Justine, Johnny and Jennifer drew ever closer, running a company together, living in the family home together, raising much loved pets together but mostly taking care of one another and keeping each other as the top priority. Together, they entertained family and friends over mostly good Lebanese food and shared all the memories of their lives as siblings and the lives of their cherished family members who had gone ahead to heaven. There was much laughter, and there was certainly unconditional love. Finally, there is Domino. Johnny and Jennifer rescued Domino 12 years ago as an 8 week old pup and he and Johnny were man and dog. Their bond was critical to both and while Johnny was in the hospital recently Domino was lost without his Papa. That loss now continues for him as he tries but fails to understand where his Papa has gone. Jennifer, of course, will continue to take the best of care of him for all his remaining days. Johnny is preceded in death by his parents, John and Susie Hanna, his brothers, Ellis Hanna and George Hanna, and his sister, Justine Hanna. He is survived by his devoted sister Jennifer Hanna, his cherished sons and daughters-in-law, Ronnie Brown (Ashley), Levi Freiberg (Lauren) and Cory Smith and, his treasured grandchildren, Cayden Paschal, Brody Brown, Ashton Brown, William Tyler Price, Dakota Michael Chase Hudgins, Jordan Alexander Dane Smith and Cory Dane Smith, Jr. He is also survived by his nieces and nephew and by many loving cousins and an extraordinary number of friends. And he survived by Domino. Arrangements are as follows: The Rosary will take place Tuesday, May 20th, 2025 at McKoon Funeral Home at 5:30 pm followed by visitation from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm. The funeral Mass will be at St. George Catholic Church on Roscoe Road in Newnan on Wednesday, May 21st, 2025 at 3:00 pm. Pallbearers will be Jeff Mansour, Gerald Jabaley, John Zauner, Nader Halabi, Anthony Johnson and Scotty Bowie. Honorary Pallbearers will be Ellis Mansour, Taft Mansour, Greg Mansour, Mike McGraw, Alan Thomas, Rob Flanagan, Carl McKnight, Charlie Shikany, Mary Born, Thomas Scott Elliott, Ed Ball, Walt Harris, Bim Bellisle, Anthony Breed, Tommy Ellis, Matt Morgan, John Hardee, Allen Michael Pittman, Bill Wall, Davis Mann, Shane Byrom, James Reed, and Charlie Shikany. Condolences may be expressed online at www.mckoon.com Instead of flowers, the family requests that you please consider donations in Johnny's honor to the Newnan-Coweta Humane Society at www.nchsrescue.org McKoon Funeral Home & Crematory (770) 253-4580

John J. Hanna, Jr.

June 6, 1951 - May 16, 2025