John Harold Ackerman, Jr.
Born March 3, 1950 in Morristown, New JerseyDeparted May 1, 2024 in Melbourne, Florida
John Harold Ackerman, Jr. of Cocoa, Florida, died on May 1, 2024 after a long battle with prostate cancer.
Born March 3, 1950, in Morristown, New Jersey, he was the son of the late John Harold Ackerman, Sr. and Clara Ann Wilkinson. John grew up in Morristown and graduated from Morristown High School in 1968.
He had a lifelong love of music and enjoyed playing the guitar, drums, and keyboard. He attended Woodstock in 1968 and Strawberry Fields in 1969. He was also a wrestler for the World Wrestling Federation and went by the names “JJ Rider” and “Big Red,” the latter referring to both his famous red hair and his towering 6’3” frame.
In New Jersey, John worked as a draftsman and then became a machinist for Pepsi-Cola. He was one of just a handful of people in the country who learned to operate specialized bottling machinery.
His machinist job took him to Florida. He quickly took a liking to the Sunshine State’s weather and more relaxed lifestyle. His favorite poster read “NO STRESS” in large lettering.
In Fort Lauderdale, his entrepreneurial spirit took hold. He first opened a painting business, but ultimately decided to turn his love for cars into a business. As the owner and operator of Ackerman Auto Sales, he took pride in being self-employed. He could often be found at the weekend car auction enjoying a hot dog and beer while he looked for cars to add to his inventory.
In his spare time, he watched car racing and volunteered to be on the pit crew. He collected posters of his favorite racers, which he hung on the walls of his auto shop. He enjoyed fishing and always kept a fishing pole in his trunk. He treasured the tackle left to him by his father.
He relocated his business to Cocoa in 2005, where he lived the remainder of his life. After retirement, he found a loving community among neighbors and staff members at Westminster Asbury.
He is survived by his sister Marilyn, his sons Mack and Jack and their mother Joanne, his niece Melissa, his great-niece Meghan and his great-nephews DJ and Zachary.