John E. Stucky, 76, of Hesston, passed away Friday, Nov. 12, 2021, at his home, surrounded by family. He was born March 22, 1945, in Newton, the son of Elmer M. and Della Ruth (Wedel) Stucky.
John graduated from Moundridge High School with the class of 1963. He later received his Bachelor of Science in elementary education at Bethel College in 1967. In 1972, John graduated from Kansas State Teacher’s College (ESU) with a Master’s in Educational Psychology and finished his Ph.D. in Special Education Administration from Kansas State University in 1980.
He taught at Cooper Elementary in Newton, for a short time, before spending two years abroad in the Alternate Service. Upon his return, he married his high school love, Marcia Pat Bartell on July 10, 1971, in Moundridge.
In his early career, John taught at Campus High School in Haysville, where he helped begin the local Kansas Special Olympic program and then went to work at the Kansas State Industrial Reformatory as a math teacher for their educational program. He later became Superintendent of the Education Program. After 25 years at KSIR, John returned to public school teaching in the special education program at Newton High School and then at Valley Center High School, retiring in 2012 after 45 years of teaching.
He dedicated his life to faith and family. John was an associate member of Eden Mennonite Church and attended Whitestone Mennonite Church, where he was active as a Sunday School Teacher and in his Bible study group.
John is survived by his wife, Marcia Pat Stucky of Hesston; daughters, Angela Tipton of Hesston, Shelese (Jason) Newmark of San Diego, Calif., and Tenae (Brian) Alfaro of Andover; son, Matthew (Tera) Stucky of Moundridge; eight grandchildren and sister, Wanita (Gerry) Schrag of Hesston.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Elmer and Della Stucky; parents-in-law, Earl and Darleen (Schrag) Bartell; Beloved Alfaro, Beloved Newmark, and Beloved Stucky; sister, Gloria Faye (Harold) Schrag and niece, Linda Lou Schrag.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 18, at Whitestone Mennonite Church. This will be a masked event. The services can be live-streamed at www.whitestonemc.com.
Graveside services will be at 1:30 p.m., Thursday at Eden Mennonite Cemetery, Moundridge. Friends paid their respects to John from 5-8 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 17, at Miller-Ott Funeral Home, Hesston, with family greeting friends from 6-8 p.m.
Memorial contributions may be made to Whitestone Mennonite Church or Eden Mennonite Church (for missions work), or Serenity Hospice, in care of Miller-Ott Funeral Home, P.O. Box 32, Hesston, Kan., 67062.
