John Orris Gradwohl

LEE’S SUMMIT, Mo. — John Orris Gradwohl, 84, Lee’s Summit, Mo., died Feb. 23, 2020 at St. Luke’s East Hospital, Lee’s Summit.

Memorial services are planned for 2 p.m., May 16 at Chapel Hill Presbyterian Church, Blue Springs, Mo., with Rev. Andrew Florio officiating.

Interment will be in Laurel.

John was born Nov. 18, 1935, in Marion, Ohio, to Elmer Adam Gradwohl and Nellie Mary Bunts. He married Loretta Marceil Burry Aug. 17, 1957, in Kenton, Ohio, and they had five children. They divorced in 1968. He married Evelyn Turena Crain Aug. 19, 1990, at Laurel United Methodist Church

He graduated high school in Kenton, Ohio, in 1953; Heidelberg College, Tiffin, Ohio, in 1957; and Eden Theological Seminary, Webster Groves, Mo., in 1960. While in Seminary, he served churches in Wright City, Mo., Webster Groves, Mo., and Hookdale, Ill. He was ordained June 26, 1960, into the United Church of Christ in his father’s church in Baltimore, Ohio, receiving an appointment to First Church in Rising Sun, Ind. Following assignments took him to Grace Church in Abilene, Kan., and St Paul’s, Marshall, Okla. He then took clinical training and served the State Hospital in Osawatomie, Kan., as a Chaplain also holding some temporary assignments with the Methodist church. He took a leave of absence with the church and spent a number of years in computer science, working as a data processor and computer programmer with Kansas City Swift Meat Packers, Woolf Brothers Clothing and United Missouri Bank, where he played a major role in putting the first ATM on the street. He returned to ministry and served Ebeneezer Church, Levasy, Mo., while continuing to work at UMB. He returned to full time ministry upon moving to Nebraska where he served First Congregational, Coleridge, First Pilgrim, Pierce, and a combined UMC and UCC church in West Point. He then retired and began helping Homestead Presbytery with Interim ministry. He held interim assignments at First Presbyterian, Wayne, St Edward, West Point and Lyons.

Survivors include his children, Cheryl Brown, Roland Park, Kan.; Kathleen (Jim) Dice, O’Fallon, Ill.; Dr. Stephen (Karen) Gradwohl, Lenexa, Kan.; Andrea Cassutt, Santa Fe, N.M.; and Ken (Kim) Gradwohl, Joplin,Mo.; step daughters, Marcia Duering, Fairbury; Marlyce (Jerry) Bruning, Coleridge; and Marta (Mike) Victor, Wayne; as well as 18 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, eight step grandchildren, and 13 step great-grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by his wife,Turena Gradwohl; parents, Elmer and Nellie Gradwohl; and sisters, Eleanor Maxwell and Evelyn Thomas.

Memorials may be directed to Cremation Center of Kansas and Missouri.