John "Jack" Bedker
March 7, 1926 — November 24, 2016
John “Jack” Leroy Bedker, 90, passed away on Thursday, November 24, 2016 at the Swedish Medical Center in Denver. He resided at the Wallace County Community Care Center in Sharon Springs, Kansas following the death of his wife, “Snooks.” After their marriage, he was a longtime resident of Colorado where he worked as a teacher and a coach. Construction work then took him across the United States including Oregon, Washington, Florida, and California before retiring in Surprise, Arizona.
Jack was born on March 7, 1926 in North Platte, Nebraska to Guy Leroy and Sarah (Howes) Bedker. He was one of three children.
Jack grew up in Nebraska and Arizona and he graduated from Seligman High School in 1944. He went on to further his education at the Colorado State University where he received his Bachelor’s degree, and then went on to Arizona State University where he received his Master’s Degree. He also served in the United States Navy during World War II.
On January 26, 1946, Jack married Wilma “Snooks” Burnett in Sharon Springs. To this union four children; Anne, John, Thom and Tim were born.
An award winning high school basketball coach in Colorado, he was an avid sports fan. He loved hunting and deep sea fishing. He enjoyed listening to country music, especially Willie Nelson, and loved reading western novels. Jack had a special fondness for strawberry ice cream and cookies, all cookies.
Preceding him in death were his parents, his wife Wilma “Snooks” Bedker, one grandson Bentley John Bedker and one granddaughter Molly Erin Bedker Bryant.
He is survived by his daughter Anne Hutcheson and her husband Lynn of Port Matilda, PA, son John L. Bedker II and his wife Linda of Breckinridge, CO, son Thom Bedker of Arizona, and a son Tim Bedker of Kansas, five grandchildren and four great grandchildren. He is also survived by two sisters; Phyllis Yoder of Wauneta, NE, and Barbara Perry of Wichita, KS.
Memorials may be designated to the Wallace County High School football program and may be left at the service or mailed to Koons-Russell Funeral Home, 211 N. Main St., Goodland, KS 67735.