John graduated from Northern Arizona University and then had a highly successful sales career, selling everything from satellite dishes to office supplies. He set an example to his children of treating others respectfully and engendered a pleasant atmosphere at any gathering. He was involved with the Freemasons, a Boy Scout troop, and the Aquia Creek Corvette Club, and was a founding member of Summit Presbyterian Church. He died on April 7, 2014, in Stafford, Virginia. He was survived by his wife Larysa Tomlin, children Mary Anne Tomlin Andrews and John Randolph Tomlin Jr. and brothers Charles and James.
(see https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/fredericksburg/name/john-tomlin-obituary?id=12616143)