Jon Sawyers

Jon Sawyers was born the youngest of 8 children to Ralph Sawyers and Maude Cook Sawyers on January 13, 1939 and departed this life on August 2, 2014 at the South Wind Hospice House in Pratt, KS.
Jon was raised his whole life in Ashland, KS, graduating high school in 1957. On January 3, 1958, he married Kay Rich of Protection and they celebrated 56 years of married life. To this union 4 children were born: Donny, Regina, Ronnie, and Tobin.

Jon and Kay attended college together at Emporia State Teachers College. After that, they made their home in Hays, KS, where Kay taught English at Victoria, KS and Jon continued attending school at Fort Hays St. and was a stay at home dad. After one year, they moved to Ellis, KS where Jon worked for a tax accountant and Kay taught school for two years. They then moved to Lenora, KS where Jon worked at the local elevator in Lenora and Collier, KS and Kay taught school. In 1969, they got the chance to move home when Kay accepted a teaching job at Protection School teaching music and Jon became a Vet Assistant for Rangelands Vet Clinic in Ashland, KS. They made their home on a farm east of Protection, where Jon also did some farming and ranching until they moved to their present home in Protection in 2012. One of the highlights of Jon's career was when he became a bus driver for USD 300. He so enjoyed picking up the kids on his route and many special activity trips. He always especially enjoyed the Forensic Trips and even got to be a judge at one of the meets as they didn't have enough judges. Jon also enjoyed the outdoors by hunting every chance he got. He especially loved deer hunting and did it with his sons, son-in-law, and grandsons. It was always a contest of who missed or who shot the big one every year.
Jon and Kay enjoyed retirement years by taking several bus tours and watching their grandkids and great-grandkids in various sporting events.
One of Jon's favorite things to do as a family was an almost yearly trek to Colorado. He loved the mountains and took his kids and grandkids there several times. The last such trip was in January 2013. It was a very special time for the family. Jon in his usual orneriness talked his son-in-law, Brett Bates, into getting a tattoo with him while in Colorado. To this day, each of his children have a love for Colorado and have made several trips with their own families.

Jon's survivors include his wife Kay of the home, son Donny and wife Sueann of Protection, daughter Regina Bates and husband Brett of Mooreland, OK, son Ronnie and wife Laura of Protection, and son Tobin and wife Amber of Salina, KS. His grandchildren: Ryan Butts and wife Julia of Chicago, IL, Adam Butts and wife Tara of Mooreland, OK, Heather Marinkovic and husband Pete of New York, Roger Butts and wife Bobbi of Elk City, OK, Aaron Sawyers of Protection, April Sawyers of Protection, Tyler Bates and wife Taylor of Fargo, OK, Karlee Hildebrand and husband Jeff of Nashville, TN, Tabitha Winter and husband Dustin of Wichita, KS, Phillip Sawyers and wife Kristen of Protection, Tim Bates and wife Kelsey of Mutual, OK, and Eli, Alec, Kain, and Colt Sawyers of Salina, KS. Great-grandchildren: Sydnie, Nathanial, and Peyton Butts of Mooreland, OK, Jaden and Kyle Sawyers and Luke Gean of Protection, Emberlynn Winter of Wichita, KS, Charli Butts of Elk City, OK, and Matt Marinkovic of New York. A sister: Norma Casey of Booker, TX, his mother-in-law: Geraldine Rich of Coldwater, KS and several other family members who will miss him dearly.

He was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers, two sisters, and his father-in-law: Lawrence Rich.

Jon will be missed dearly by his family and his many friends he came in contact with. He always had a smile on his face.

Friends may call from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, August 6, 2014, at Hatfield-Prusa Funeral Home, Coldwater, KS.

Memorial service is at 11:30 a.m., Thursday, August 7, 2014, at the First Baptist Church in Protection, KS, with Pastor Mark Slattery presiding. Burial is in the Protection Cemetery in Protection, KS.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to South Wind Hospice or "Jon for Kids" Memorial Fund in care of Hatfield-Prusa Funeral Home, P.O. Box 417, Coldwater, KS 67029.