John “Jack” Simon, 88, of West Liberty died suddenly Friday, July 23, 2021 at the place he loved to be more than anywhere, the farm.
Funeral mass will be held 10:30 a.m.. Wednesday, July 28, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in West Liberty. Visitation was held Tuesday evening, July 27, at the church. Burial will be in the Oak Ridge Cemetery, West Liberty.
Online condolences may be made to the family at www.hendersonbarkerfuneralhome.com. Memorials may be made to Jack Simon memorial fund. The Henderson-Barker Funeral Home in West Liberty is caring for Jack’s family.
John was born May 23, 1933, the son of Adam and Doris (Herring) Simon, the second oldest in a family of seven. He attended country school where he had to walk uphill to and from school. When he knew more than his teachers, he moved on to help at the family farm.
He served his country as a cook in the U.S. Army from 1953-1955. He was united in marriage to Janet Ping on Aug. 27, 1954. Jack and Janet farmed and raised their family north of West Liberty. He was still actively farming at the time of his death.
He was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, West Liberty Lions Club and Mansell Phillips American Legion Post #509.
Jack was active in tractor pulling for about 50 years. Most of those were with his 570 Super Cockshutt aptly named “Super Cock.” He bowled with the Dotson Spots and had bowled a 299 game as well as playing many hands of euchre with his bowling buddies. Even though he didn’t golf, he hit a hole in one on #2 at the West Liberty Country Club.
He never met a piece of machinery he wouldn’t fix, a Nascar race and a ballgame he wouldn’t watch, especially the Iowa Hawkeyes, St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Bulls, a sweet he wouldn’t eat nor a stranger he wouldn’t help.
In his early years, he was even known to cut a rug with Janet. He loved his grandchildren more than anything and rarely missed a sporting event they were involved in unless an ump or ref kindly asked him to leave the game.
He will be deeply missed by his wife, Janet, and their four children: Steven (Keely) Simon, Jacqueline Tompkins, Jerry (Brenda) Simon and Shawna (Kevin) Mueller.
He is also survived by 11 grandchildren: Stephanie, Shane, Amber, Heather, Megan, Shari, Kennedi, Cassedi, Madeline, Tanner, Hallie and 11 great grandchildren as well as six siblings: Betty Smith, Joe (Mary Ellen) Simon, Jean Ann (Don) Feldman, Patti Koenig, Mary Sue Cline and Connie Black.
He was preceded in death by his parents, son-in-law Mark Tompkins, as well as brothers-in-law: Wayne Smith, Peter Koenig, Rob Black and Richard Ping.