John Nelson Alphin Jr.
Aug. 29, 1946 July 15, 2017
John Nelson Alphin Jr., 70, of Noel, Mo., departed this life on Saturday evening, July 15, 2017, at Freeman Hospital West in Joplin, Mo., after months of declining health. He entered this life on Aug. 29, 1946, in Nashville, Ark., son of the late John Nelson Alphin Sr. and Susie (Grooms) Alphin.
He was raised in Pauls Valley and Salina, Okla., as well as Roswell, N.M. On Dec. 21, 1973, he was united in marriage to Mary Jane Warren and to this union two children were born. For 33 years he served his country faithfully in the United States Army, during Vietnam and Desert Storm. For several years they resided in Bartlesville, Okla., where he was employed by the city of Bartlesville for 27 years. They have called Noel home since 2009. He was of the Baptist faith.
He was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters; and three brothers.
He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Mary Jane Alphin of the home; son, John Wayne Alphin of Anderson; daughter, Nancy Kirkendall and husband, Alfred, of Bartlesville; two step-grandchildren; sister, Linda Joyce Gage of Bartlesville; several nieces and nephews; and a host of other family and friends.
Funeral services with full military honors were held graveside on Wednesday, July 19, 2017, at 10 a.m. at the Tracy Cemetery with Ryan Crawford officiating. Those honoring his life by serving as pallbearers were John Wayne Alphin, Michael Warren, William Warren, Ralph Warren, Ricky Mitchell, Eric Bennett and Ricky Warren. The family received friends on Tuesday evening from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Anderson Chapel of the Ozark Funeral Homes.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www. ozarkfuneralhome.com.
Arrangements are under the personal care and direction of the Ozark Funeral Home in Anderson, Mo.