John E. Schifferdecker, who maintained his love of farming throughout concurrent careers as a teacher, and later, a banker, died Tuesday, Dec. 26, in Girard Medical Center. He was 87.
He was born Sept. 28, 1936, the third and last child of W. Earl Schifferdecker and Florene (Morrison) Schifferdecker of Girard. He graduated from Girard High School and what was then Kansas State Teachers College of Pittsburg, now Pittsburg State University. He served during 1954-62 in the Army Reserve’s 235th Replacement Company in Girard.
After college, he was a farmer and cattleman full time. That lasted until 1966, when his oldest child started school. So did he, teaching at Farlington’s grade school.
He later taught at Walnut Elementary School, where he was also the principal, and then at Girard Middle School. During this time, he earned a master’s degree in elementary education from PSU. He changed careers in 1990, becoming a real estate loan officer for Girard National Bank, now GNBank. He retired from daily work in 2001 but stayed active in the bank as a member of several committees and the board of directors.
He married Carole Ann Lehman of Mulberry on Sept. 4, 1960, in First Christian Church of Girard. They met at the wedding of his older brother, Martin, to her best friend, Sandra Morey. He was the best man, and she was the maid of honor. They would tell how their first date was to go buy rice.
The couple reared a son and daughter on a farm east of Hepler, where he built a house almost single-handedly. They moved to Girard after their children were grown because of Carole’s weakening health. She died in 2021.
They were members of Farlington United Methodist Church, First United Methodist Church in Pittsburg, and finally Girard United Methodist Church. John was also a member of the Masonic Lodge and Boy Scout Troop 84 in Girard. He was the troop’s second Eagle Scout, after his brother.
John Schifferdecker loved to laugh. He was the Crawford County champion in humorous reading competitions throughout high school. He applied his skill with voices when he read newspaper comics – he called them “the funnies” – to his children. He would also open bank committee meetings with a joke, usually taken from Reader’s Digest.
He and his wife traveled extensively around North America, including three cruises, and attended their grandchildren’s games, concerts, and other activities.
Survivors include his son and daughter-in-law, David and Stacey Schifferdecker of Tulsa; his daughter and son-in-law, Nancy (Schifferdecker) George and Ed George of rural Hepler; and six grandchildren: Kegan Schifferdecker of Oklahoma City; Wyatt Schifferdecker of Tulsa; Jocelyn Schifferdecker of Wichita; Nicholas George of Pittsburg; Nathan George of North Kansas City, Mo.; and Ethan George of Ankeny, Iowa.
Other survivors include two sisters-in-law, Velda Lehman of rural Mulberry and Sandra Schifferdecker of rural Girard; three nephews, and two nieces.
He was preceded in death by his sister, Carlene (Schifferdecker) Neihart of Kansas City, Mo., and brother, Martin Schifferdecker of rural Girard.
Services are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Friday at Girard United Methodist Church, with visitation at 5-7 p.m. Thursday at Smith Carson Wall Funeral Home in Girard, Masonic Services will be at 6:00 p.m. Burial will take place at Girard Cemetery.
The family suggests memorials to the John E. Schifferdecker Education Scholarship at Pittsburg State University. Memorials can be left at the funeral home or mailed to the PSU Foundation, P.O. Box 4005, Pittsburg KS 66762. A memorial gift may also be made to the Girard Area Community Foundation for benefit of the United Methodist Church of Girard Endowed Fund. Condolences may be sent to www.wallfuneralservices.com.
