John Stover

John Eugene Stover was born to Raymond Everett and Sarah (Sallie) Catherine (Lowe) Stover on November 12, 1933 at Goodland Kansas.  He passed on December 31, 2020 at Downs, Kansas at the age of 87.

Growing up, John lived with his family at Levant and Colby, Kansas.    He Graduated from Colby High School in 1951 and attended Kansas State Agricultural College for two years where he was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity.

He married Barbara Joan Penn on June 7, 1953 and they had one son, Kevin.  This marriage was dissolved in 1966.

John and Carol (Loomis) Linton then married on September 14, 1967 and enjoyed 48 years of loving marriage until Carol's death in 2015.  Daughters Marcia and Carla and son, Greg became family and were joined by son, David in 1969.

John was involved in agriculture his entire life.  He was the operator of the Stover Ranch at Sharon Springs and later, operator of the Stover Grain Company at Sharon Springs followed by a return to the ranch in 1968.  In 1970, John and Carol moved to Glen Elder where they began a farming operation, taking over from Carol's parents upon their retirement.  They raised grain, cattle, hogs and AKC puppies.  John and Carol later became owner-operators of the Stover Grain Company at Cawker City and also opened The Barn Door, a garden and landscaping store in Cawker City.  They also owned and operated Mt. Carmel Hunting Lodge in the 1980's.

In his younger years John's hobbies were hunting, fishing and gun collecting and in later years, restoring antique furniture.

John served as Jewell County Commissioner for one term beginning in 1994.  He was also a 65-year member of the Masonic Lodge in Sharon Springs, Glen Elder, Cawker City and Beloit holding each chair and being Master multiple times.  He also served in the State Grand Lodge under Grand Master Ralph D Walker of Sharon Springs.  One of his proudest moments was receiving his 60-year pin from the lodge in 2015.  In addition, he was also a member of the Isis Shrine at Salina, Kansas.

John and Carol loved to play games and especially bridge and for many years were part of a group of dear friends who gathered nearly weekly for an evening of friendship and laughter playing cards.  They also loved camping and took various campers and motor homes to several places across the nation, as well as camping at Waconda Lake.  As the years went by, they had to give up some activities, and those were some of the most missed.

More than anything else, John loved his family.  For many years their house was the center of large family gatherings, Christmases and birthday celebrations where so many precious memories were made.  He was a kind, gentle and loving man, husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and great great grandfather.

He is preceded in death by his wife Carol, his first wife Barbara, his parents, granddaughter Kaitlyn Stover, brother Phillip (Smokey) Stover, sister Mildred (Jo-Jo) Lutz, brothers-in-law Jim Withers, Tyke Newcomb and Charlie Lutz and sisters-in law Beverly Stover and Loretta Terry.

Left to mourn are his children Marcia Linton of Glen Elder, Greg Linton of Cawker City, Kevin Stover (Denise) of Concordia, Carla McPeak (Marty) of Glen Elder, David Stover (Lynda) of Buffalo, Kansas, 12 grandchildren, 23 great grandchildren and 2 great great grandchildren, his sister Judie Withers of Wichita, sister-in-law Rosie Stover of Colby, brother-in-law Ray Terry of Glen Elder, many nieces, nephews and many other family.

Dad was a kind and gentle soul and will be missed by all who knew him.

Family-only funeral services will be at 1:30 PM Monday, January 4 at the Roberts Family Funeral Home in Beloit followed by a public graveside service at Athens Cemetery north of Glen Elder. Visitation will be from 2-7 PM Sunday at the funeral home. Memorials may be given to the Kansas Masonic Foundation or Downs Care & Rehab Center.

Funeral Service will be live-streamed using the link below:

https://youtu.be/iPNrm0jxBMY