John Benjamin Kiker

Native Daltonian of eighty-four years, John Benjamin Kiker, passed away peacefully at his home with his family by his side on Sunday, June 15th, 2025. He leaves behind his wife of sixty-three years, Janice Felker Kiker; three daughters, Karen Kiker, Emily Kiker and Don Finkell, and Andrea Kiker and Van Jones; five grandchildren, William and Ashley Morrow, Vivian Butler Hair, Mary Morrow and Chris Denson, Hunter Jones, Harrison Jones, and three great-grandchildren Fox Morrow, Louise Morrow, and Charlotte Denson, all of Dalton, Georgia.

John Kiker was the thirteenth and youngest child of B. H. and Hannah Kiker, and lived his entire life in Dalton, Georgia. He grew up on Lake Francis Road, where he had early morning chores that typically would have been handled by adults. This was what their family did: work hard and do their work well. Their incredible work ethic drove John throughout his entire life to the very end. Rather than playing a round of golf after a long day at work, he would come home and take pleasure in looking after his herd of registered black Angus cattle, looking over his lush green pastures, or mending fences before going home for a meal of hot corn bread and buttermilk.

He was the 1959 Star Student of North Whitfield High School and attended Auburn University for one year before returning home to Dalton to work as a brick mason. He had learned the essentials of building a quality structure from his father, B. H. Kiker, also a builder in Dalton whose notable projects includes First Methodist Church of Dalton, which was eventually renovated by John Kiker in 2018.

Before he began his career as a general contractor, John pursued the attention of Janice Felker. Janice was someone who was always on his mind. They initially met when he was in first grade and she was one grade younger. Their marriage was more than just a marriage; it was a partnership and an alliance that endured for over 63 years. Their marriage was rooted in three things - their faith, their children, and their community. John's love for his community was evident in everything he did, and he always put the needs of others before his own.

As a commercial general contractor in the Northwest Georgia region for over sixty years, John started his business with his wife who was also his partner - on their kitchen table in 1961. His construction projects were widely ranging, from schools, churches, carpet tile, fiber extrusion, and carpet manufacturing facilities, the largest of which is over 2.8 million square feet. He received numerous awards as “National Contractor of the Year”.

His lifelong reputation was of being the most honest person anyone could have a partnership with, a man who meant what he said, and said what he meant.

Beyond the construction endeavors, John was a widely respected registered black Angus cattle breeder, both for the Kiker’s herd in Dalton as well as their cattle operation in Montana. Over the years, he served as President of the Board for Georgia Angus Association.

If you knew John Kiker, you knew his unwavering commitment to his family. Whether it was fishing, hunting, or tending to his cattle, John always shared his passions and hobbies with his wife, children, and grandchildren. Always a great sportsman, John enjoyed catching the most fish as well as the biggest fish, getting a quick photo of them as proof just before throwing them back. When bird hunting, he was generous to a fault, giving the first opportunity of a quail, dove, or pheasant to his wife or one of his grandchildren. He took the most pleasure in seeing them enjoy something that he himself loved. John’s approach was to model how to live in everything he did rather than preaching how to live.

"A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold." Proverbs 22:1

John Kiker did not pursue success; instead, he earned a lifetime's reputation for living with unwavering honesty and integrity in all facets of his life. His word was his bond, and his actions always spoke louder than his words, earning him the trust and respect of all who knew him. It is fitting that he returned to the Lord on Father’s Day.

Funeral services for John will be conducted on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at 2:00 P.M. in the Sanctuary of Dalton First United Methodist Church with Rev. Tommy Willingham, Sr. officiating. John's family will receive friends for visitation in the church Atrium from 11:00 A.M. until the service hour.