John Howard Fruit – Nov. 3, 1942 – Oct. 8, 2026

John Howard Fruit passed away on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, at the age of 83. Visitation: 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, in Independence Chapel at Greenwood Mausoleum, 3210 White Settlement Rd., Fort Worth 76107. Funeral Service: 2:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, in Independence Chapel at Greenwood Mausoleum, 3210 White Settlement Rd., Fort Worth 76107; with interment to follow in Greenwood Memorial Park. John was born in Ponca City, Oklahoma on Nov. 3, 1942, to parents, Luther Fruit and Doris “Pauline” Fruit. His family moved to Borger, Texas when he was a baby. John played the clarinet in band and was on the yearbook staff at Borger HS before graduating in 1960. John was involved in The Boy Scouts of America as a Cub Scout, Boy Scout and Eagle Scout. He worked as a commissary clerk at a scout summer camp when he was 18 and 19 years old. After graduating high school, he attended Frank Phillips College for two years before going on to Texas Tech University in Lubbock where he completed a Bachelor of Science degree in 1966. He had a major in chemistry and a minor in mathematics. John was recruited right after graduating from Texas Tech University by Pratt & Whitney Aerospace Manufacturer to work as a chemist in materials and composites in West Palm Beach, Florida for a few years before being transferred to the Pratt & Whitney headquarters in Hartford, Connecticut. John met his wife, Dolores or “Mickey”, as she was called, while living in Cromwell, CT. They had two children, Michael and Lori, before moving the family to Fort Worth in 1975 to accept a job as a chemist with General Dynamics, which later became Lockheed Martin Corporation. He continued to work there in the lab testing materials and composites to be used on jet fighters. He worked on the F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-22 Raptor, and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter before retiring in 2005. He went back for a few years after as a consultant in the same lab. John was interested in aerospace, aerodynamics, and just all things space and science. He enjoyed reading about American history and visiting American Civil War museums and battlegrounds. He competed in skeet and trap competitions and went to gun ranges for target shooting. During his free time, he enjoyed bowling on Lockheed Martin’s bowling league and playing golf whenever he could. An avid movie goer, John loved action and science fiction movies and TV shows, especially Star Wars, Star Trek, Marvel and DC comics movies. He is preceded in death by his parents; wife, Dolores Leyland Fruit; sister, Linda Rae Whitten; and son-in-law, Christopher Wilson. John is survived by his daughter, Lori Ellen Fruit Wilson; son, Michael Fruit and his wife, Colleen Fruit; and grandchildren, Ethan Leyland Fruit and Brianna Nicole Fruit. GREENWOOD FUNERAL HOME Greenwood Funeral Homes – Cremation 3344 White Settlement Road, Fort Worth 76107 817-336-0584