John Wyatt

West Virginia lost a legend this week. Known simply as “The Appalachian,” John Wyatt was a man of many hats.

Musician. Pastor. Storyteller. Helper. Friend. Mentor. He wore them all quite comfortably, with his signature grin always in tow.

John was involved in just about every community effort or activity over the years. If it mattered to the people around him, it mattered to John. Because each of his neighbors mattered to John. From flood relief to revivals to substance abuse awareness to homelessness to visitation to the joy of music, John always showed up.

And when John showed up, he was there to help. He was pastoral, not preachy. He was a public servant, not a partisan. He was proud of his roots, not prideful of anything.

John could (and would) sit down with anyone, anytime, to talk about anything. His genuine heart for his Appalachian home was the secret to his success. He cared for his friends among the hills, and he will be dearly missed.

For his consistent and authentic presence, always working to keep Appalachian culture alive, we are proud to posthumously name John Wyatt as the certified Real West Virginian of the Week.

Have a nominee for future weeks? Email us at news@therealwv.com.