John Edward Partin

John Edward Partin, age 85, passed peacefully in his sleep, at home in Ponce De Leon, Mo on August 7th, 2025. After a brief battle with cancer. While we awaited the results of his test, John simply told me he would be fine… He just needed us all to be ok. He was going to be ok no matter what... He would either be here with us, or he would be in heaven with the Lord, Jesus and the loved ones that went before him. He did NOT want any of us to be sad or to grieve too long, but to celebrate his life. So, per John’s request, there will be no funeral or sad memorial, but at a future date we will celebrate his life.

Born on April 25th, 1940, in Bell, Kentucky. John was the 2nd child of Joe Partin and Annabelle Matlock Partin. He grew up in Kentucky and Ohio with his older sister Betty and younger brothers Clyde and Leroy. As a young man he enjoyed the outdoors, hunting and fishing. Like most men he loved his sports, watching his favorite teams play, whether it was football. baseball or basketball, while he personally enjoyed playing golf. John was a true Christian and lived his life trying to follow those beliefs. He admittedly made his fair share of mistakes and was not perfect, but he tried to learn from them and to be a better man in the process. He was truly a blessing to those of us that knew him, a trustworthy, upstanding and loving man that followed God’s commandments (to the best of his ability) and his own code of ethics.

On April 25, 1959, he married Erma Culliver, with whom he had 3 children, Joe Partin, Deborah and Cheryl. They later divorced and he eventually married his 2nd wife Anna Mae on October 10th, 1973. She also had 3 children from her first marriage, Cindy, Micheal, and Vicki Kephart. Although John had different jobs throughout his life, they later moved to Pennsylvania, where he eventually retired from the Centennial School District, on June 5th, 2008, where he was the District Courier. At that time, he moved to Ohio to live with his daughter Deb and her husband Dave. Around 2010, he moved to Valrico, Florida to once again be with his second wife Anna Mae Miller, until her passing on July 13th, 2019, at which time, he moved to Ponce De Leon, Mo with his stepson, Michael Kephart and daughter in-law, Gayla. Although he was not as mobile as in his youth, he still enjoyed the cooler weather, sitting out on his front porch drinking coffee and watching the birds and other wildlife or counting the few cars that went by out on the main road. Or perhaps going on one of the many short road trips with Gayla to see the beautiful Missouri countryside, where they discovered Camels! YES!! Camels in the Ozark hills…

John is preceded in death by both his parents, all three of his siblings, Betty, Clyde and Leroy. Both his first wife Erma Culliver, and second, Anna Mae Miller; his daughter in-law Kym, and stepdaughter Cindy Kephart, as well as an infant grandson, Daniel Joseph Wheating.

He is survived by his son, Joe Partin, of Ohio; daughter Deborah Schwabel and husband Dave, of Ohio; daughter Cheryl Partin, of Ohio; stepson Michael Kephart and daughter in-law Gayla, of Ponce De Leon, MO; stepdaughter Vicki Fout and husband Lester, of Iowa. As well as two sisters-in-law, Laura and Barb; 12 grandchildren; and 25 great-grandchildren (including stepchildren) at last count; and his friends JT and Dave, of Valrico, FL. I am sure that I have missed several people and for this I apologize.

Michael and I would like to personally thank all of the Doctors, Nurses and all the staff of Cox South Hospital, in Springfield, Mo, the wonderful people at St. Croix Hospice that helped us to bring John home from the hospital, Roslynn Colwell at Neptune Society, along with the staff at Midwest Funeral Services and Chaplin Jesse, with St. Croix. Every one of you took great care of John and us.

In lieu of flowers, if you wish, please donate to a worthy cause or help someone in need. That’s what John would do.