John "Jack" L. Ketcham

John (Jack) Ketcham, 95, of Rockford, IL passed away Saturday, October 29, 2022. He was born May 30, 1927 in La Plata, MO to Frank and Florence Ketcham. He is survived by his loving wife of 70 years, Phyllis, daughter Sharon (Carl) Cacciatore, son John (Susan) Ketcham, grandchildren Jared (Ciara) Cacciatore, Callie Dixon, Luke (Kaela) Ketcham, Sarah (Travis) Applegate, great-grandchildren Hayes, Tallulah, Haddie, Nash, Levi, brother-in-law Loyal (Melodee) Slaughter.

Jack exemplified how to live a quiet life well; a living portrait of 1 Thessalonians 4:11 “make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands”. He was kind, gentle, and strong; a man of simple and genuine faith in God. He communicated his deep love for family and friends more with his actions, his steady smiling eyes, and his calm presence than with words. But when it came to telling stories, his words were magic. His tales of summers on the farm hunting and fishing, his 5 mile bike rides to school and back in the dark, his days at West Point playing basketball and as the Colonel’s chauffeur during the war would paint such clear pictures, you could close your eyes and be there with him.

Growing up working on his parents’ farm and general store in Love Lake, MO, he learned to be self-reliant, the value of hard work, to appreciate nature, and to live off the land; all things he taught his children and grandchildren well. He loved to play basketball, to golf, his St. Louis Cardinals, trips to Paris with his daughter, to the Black Hills, on cruises and to Myrtle Beach with Phyllis and friends Tom & Ellen, and time in his garden, which was unrivaled. He moved to Rockford in February of 1948, where he went to work at Greenlee for 42 years before retiring and serving as a ranger at Atwood Golf Course. He was president of Greenlee Squared Circle, president of the PTA at P.A. Peterson school, and a charter member of Maywood Evangelical Free Church.

The Funeral will be held Monday, November 7, 2022 at Maywood Evangelical Free Church, 3621 Samuelson Rd, Rockford IL 61109. Visitation from 9am-11am, service at 11am, burial to follow. The family would like to give a special thanks to caregiver Gloria (Morning Glory as Jack called her) and to the wonderful people at Northern Illinois Hospice. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be directed to Northern Illinois Hospice, Maywood Evangelical Free Church, and Rockford Rescue Mission.