John Jeffrey Gannaway

He was born on December 30, 1960, in Kansas City, Missouri, the son of Eugene Gannaway and Frances Hall. John attended Liberty schools.

He moved to Frederick, Oklahoma to live with his grandparents and made his home there for many years, before moving to Joplin, Missouri.

John loved fishing, and for him, it was about much more than simply catching fish. He enjoyed every aspect of it, from preparing his equipment to deciding what kind of fish to pursue and which bait or lures to use. He meticulously cared for everything related to fishing. Even if his rods and reels hadn’t seen the water in a while, he would routinely clean and maintain them as though they had just come back from a day on the lake. Carp and catfish were his preferred catches, though he was always happy to go after crappies when the opportunity arose.

John was an athlete at heart. During his middle and high school years, he enrolled in every physical fitness class the school would allow. In weight training, he quickly distinguished himself, making impressive strength gains in a short time and rising to the top of his class. Although academics could be a challenge, baseball statistics were another matter entirely. He could memorize them and recite them as easily as the alphabet. He was a devoted Kansas City Royals fan, though his favorite player was Catfish Hunter, who pitched for the Oakland A’s at the time.

Give John the opportunity to join a neighborhood game of football, baseball, softball, basketball, or even wiffle ball, he was all in. He played with intensity and enthusiasm that made it seem as though nothing else in the world mattered in that moment. That same passion carried over to his participation in the Special Olympics, where he earned multiple gold, silver and bronze medals.

Competing became much more than an activity for John; it became something he embraced with his whole heart.

John was also an enthusiastic professional wrestling fan, and his favorite wrestler was the legendary Handsome Harley Race. When Harley was on television, John was glued to the screen, reacting with unrestrained excitement whether his favorite won or lost, although a victory was always cause for special celebration.

Music held a special place in his heart too. Among his favorite artists were Elton John, Olivia Newton-John, Eagles and Boston. Whenever he received his weekly dollar allowance, he often wanted to head to TG&Y and browse the 45-rpm records, hoping to find something new from one of his favorite artists to add to his collection. Every so often, he would discover a new treasure, take it home, and listen to it over and over until he had memorized every lyric and could recite the words without missing a beat.

He was preceded in death by his father, Eugene Gannaway and wife, Wanda; mother, Frances Hall; grandparents, Delmar and Ima Burden, Dorothy McClung and Ray McClung; infant sister, Karla Gannaway; and sister, Mish Boswell; two uncles and their wives, Jack and Linda Gannaway, Tommy and Lucille Gannaway.

John is survived by his sister, Stacey Whitcomb and her children; his brother, Ed Gannaway and wife Judi and their children; two aunts, Joyce Gensheer, Marilyn Osborn and her husband Jim; several cousins and friends.