John Faber Hanst II died peacefully at his home in Phoenix, Maryland, on February 26, 2026.

John was born on April 11, 1935, in Cumberland, Maryland, to George and Polly Johnson Hanst and raised in Oakland, Maryland. He married Joan Fowble in 1966, and they celebrated 59 anniversaries together.  They raised two daughters, Elizabeth (Karl Stegmann) of Baldwin, and Rebecca (Paul Tallon) of Cockeysville.  John cherished his grandchildren, Jack, Katie, and Melanie.

John graduated from Southern Garrett High School in 1953. He lettered in basketball and baseball, edited the yearbook, sang in all-state chorus, and served two years as class president.

John graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a Bachelor of Engineering Science in Mechanical Engineering.  He was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega social fraternity and honorariums Pi Tau Sigma and Scabbard and Blade. He held local and regional leadership positions in the Lutheran Students Association.

Upon graduation, John was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserves and received basic Officers’ Training at Aberdeen Proving Ground.  He was recalled to active duty during the Berlin Crisis, serving with the 254th Ordnance Company of York, Pennsylvania. 

John worked as a Structural Engineer for AAI Corporation in Hunt Valley until 1974, when he accepted a job as a Principal Engineer with Westinghouse’s Offshore Power Systems in Jacksonville, Florida.  In 1979, he was transferred to Albuquerque, New Mexico.  In 1980, he returned to AAI as a Principal Development Engineer/Program Manager, where he worked until retirement.

John was an accomplished wine maker and won numerous blue ribbons and two “best of shows” for his white wines at the Maryland State Fair. He enjoyed playing golf and tennis. At parties, he delighted in playing the piano and quoting from his extensive repertoire of limericks.

John was a member of Ascension Lutheran Church in Towson for over 50 years, serving on the Congregational Council and multiple committees.  He sang bass in the church choir and acted as Assisting Minister during many worship services.

He is survived by his wife, children and grandchildren, his sister, Jane Hanst Brown, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.  He was predeceased by his parents, brother George and his wife, Barbara, and brother-in-law, Tom Brown. 

A Celebration of Life service will be held on Saturday, March 21, 2026, in Ascension Lutheran Church, 7601 York Road, Towson.  Visitation will be held at 11:00 AM, with the service starting at 12:00 PM.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the church.