John R. Manspeaker

John Ross Manspeaker, 82, of Preston, Iowa, died peacefully Sunday, November 6, 2011, at his home in rural Preston. Visitation will be held from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 8, 2011, at the Miller – Law – Jones Funeral Home in Preston, with a Masonic Service to be held at 7:30 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, November 9, 2011, at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Preston, with Rev. Gregory Geier officiating. Burial will follow in the Reeseville Cemetery, rural Miles, Iowa.
John was born October 17, 1929, in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Edwin and Anne (Falacz) Manspeaker. He graduated from Wichita North High School in Wichita, Kansas. John then graduated from Kansas State University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Chemical Engineering. John married Jaquelyn Milburn on July 3, 1953, and they later divorced.
John worked as a chemical engineer at Clinton Corn and retired from A.D.M. in Columbus, Nebraska. He was a member of the Bellevue Masonic Lodge, the Clinton Consistory, the Davenport, Iowa, Kaaba Shrine, Rotary Club in Columbus, Nebraska, the Kiwanis Club in Clinton, and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. John was also a member of the State Library Board and helped establish the Preston Library. He enjoyed flower gardening, politics and historical reading.
John is survived and lovingly remembered by his children, John (Cheri) Manspeaker of West Chicago, Illinois, Judith Lynn (Jim) Boes of Adel, Iowa, Mary (Rich) Schnack of Eldridge, Iowa, and Terri (Ralph) Keacher of Minneapolis, Minnesota; his grandchildren, Caitlin, Jennifer, Eli, Thomas, and Allison Manspeaker, Annie (Joey) Chojnacki, Ross Boes, Nathan (Molly) Boes, Lauren (Gary) Green, Leslie (Justin) Shaffer, Michelle (Ryan Bobst) Schnack, Lisa Keacher, and Leanne Keacher; his great grandchildren, Jaylen and Riley Green, and Cameron Shaffer; his sisters, Nancy Smith of El Dorado, Kansas, Betty (Benjamin) Leader of Wichita, Kansas, and Ruth (Dale) Hinshaw of Benton, Kansas; and three nieces and nephews, Betty (Doug) Wise of El Dorado, Peggy (Al) Niese of Wichita, and Kevin Hinshaw of Andover, Kansas.
John was preceded in death by his parents, and one brother – in – law, Wilbur Smith.