"Butch” , as he was known in his early years, attended Neosho High School where he graduated in 1957. He was active inside and outside of school and lettered in basketball, lettered in band (first chair clarinet), achieved membership in the National Honor Society, and was elected “Mr. Personality Plus" by his classmates in his senior year. He accomplished all of this while working as a radio disc jockey and as a lifeguard.
John attended Southwest Missouri State College, from which he graduated via Syracuse University NY following his placement in a special program due to his aptitude for learning foreign languages where he learned the Russian language at the behest of the United States Air Force in 1962.
His military career then took him from San Angelo in Texas to complete his training, then to Berlin, Germany where he served with the 6912th USAFSS, and on to Trabzon, Turkey with the 6944th USAFSS at the famed Tuslog DET 3-1, keeping an ear on the former Soviets during the “Cold War” until his honorable discharge as a Staff Sergeant in 1966. John remained proud of his service in the Air Force through his final days.
At some time during his military stint in Texas John met Betty Stubbs. In 1965 they decided to become John and Betty Prickett in the relative security of Berlin due in no small part to its distance from Stoney Stubbs Sr. , aka Betty's father.
Accomplishing his missions overseas, John returned to Texas and a career in trucking where he worked for the aforementioned Stoney Stubbs Sr., and eventually for Stoney Stubbs Jr., at Frozen Food Express where he would work for nearly 30 years. John retired as Vice President of Safety and Claims.
Amid an accomplished and active life of sports, military service and his long working career, John will be remembered first and foremost for his devotion to his family. He was deeply involved in any and all sports, social and artistic activities that his sons took part in from coaching and mentoring to spectating and supporting. He did this with unceasing encouragement - he was always there.
Family was always first for John whether times were good and easy or difficult. Always ready with a positive attitude and a gentle joke to lighten the load, John’s deep sense of humor was truly unique. He was the epitome of a loving, loyal, supportive husband, father, and friend.
He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.
John is preceded in death by his parents Glen and Bertha as well as his elder siblings Joe, Jack, and Mary Ann.
He is survived by his loving wife of 59 years Betty, his sons Gregg and Glenn, his nephew Joe Stuesser, and his and Betty's "chosen daughter" Tanya Freeman.
In lieu of flowers the family asks that a donation be made to St. Jude’s children’s hospital or 24 hour club of Dallas in John's memory. Services will be held at Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration at 14115 Hillcrest rd Dallas on Wednesday, May 15, 2024 at 11:00am.
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