BEDFORD — The Lawrence County community is reflecting on a legacy of service and local pride following the passing of Johnny J. ‘Jay’ Fiddler, 84, who died Friday, January 23 at Stonebridge Health Campus.
A staple of the Bedford business community and a tireless public servant, Fiddler was known as much for his professional craftsmanship as for his fierce loyalty to his hometown.
Fiddler’s career was defined by Johnny’s Signs, a business he began working for at just eight years old. At the age of 17, he took the reins of the company from his father, completing his high school education via correspondence to ensure the family business thrived.
An expert in the “lost art” of neon tube bending, Fiddler was known for his exacting standards. However, his business philosophy was unique: he shifted the company’s focus to a 35-mile radius of Bedford. He famously declined work in larger cities, preferring to dedicate his time and talents exclusively to his neighbors in Lawrence County.
Fiddler’s commitment to Bedford extended far beyond the walls of his shop. His civic resume spanned decades, including 50 years of service on the City of Bedford Plan Commission, and a five-year term on the Bedford City Council.
As a charter member and president of the Bedford Jaycees, he spearheaded the construction of the Jaycee Club House.
In 2008, he donated the Wiley House to the Lawrence County Art Museum and remained a consistent supporter of the Boys and Girls Clubs and the Lawrenceport Cemetery.
In 2024, Fiddler was honored as the Grand Marshal of the Limestone Heritage Festival parade, a fitting tribute to a man who once said of his many awards, “I am just doing what is right for Bedford and Lawrence County.”
In 1999, Fiddler’s life took a spiritual turn when he accepted Jesus as his Savior at the First Baptist Church of Bedford, where he remained an active servant for over 20 years before joining the Bedford First Church of God.
After retiring in 2018, Jay stayed active by clearing land, collecting classic cars, and developing the Broadview North Addition on the site of the former Bedford Drive-In Theatre. He is survived by his high school sweetheart and wife of 65 years, Janet Kay Flinn, their three children, and a large family of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. at the Bedford First Church of God.
The family requests that place of flowers donations be made in Jay’s memory to the BNL Scholarship Foundation, Lawrence County Cancer Patient Services, or the Alzheimer’s Association. Lawrence County Cancer Patient Services, or the Alzheimer’s Association.
