John Nation Jr.
John Joseph “Johnny” Nation Jr., 72 of Wellsville, died at 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 7, 2009 on Highway 19 in Audrain County from injuries sustained in an automobile accident.
Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Friday, July 10, at Church of the Resurrection, Wellsville, with Father Greg Oligschlaeger officiating. Burial will be in Resurrection Catholic Cemetery, Wellsville. Visitation is from 4-8 p.m. Thursday, July 9, with a prayer service at 7:30 p.m. at Myers Funeral Home, Wellsville.
Mr. Nation was born Nov. 15, 1936 in Montgomery City, the son of John Joseph Nation Sr. and Florence Virginia Grennan Nation.
He served in the U.S. Navy from 1954-57 aboard the USS San Marcus LSD. While he was in the Navy he went to Electrician School.
On June 27, 1964 in O’Fallon, he married Shirley Janice Heying.
Mr. Nation was a 1954 Montgomery City High School graduate. He was a Jonesburg rural mail carrier from 1970 until he retired in 1997. Prior to that, he was a mail carrier for the City of Wellsville from 1964-70. Johnny and Shirley have lived on his family’s farm since 1964.
He was a member of the Vandalia Flying Club and Lifetime Member of the Knights of Columbus. He was awarded the Grass Land Farmer of the Year award in 2007. He served on the Resurrection Catholic Cemetery Board.
Johnny enjoyed taking care of his cattle and farming. He was a Certified Flight Instructor, logging over 4,000 hours. He enjoyed flying and taught several people how to fly, including some of his nieces and nephews. He enjoyed researching his family history. Johnny was very family oriented and being a grandpa was one of his favorite roles.
He was a member of the Church of the Resurrection in Wellsville. Johnny served in various leadership roles within the church council. He was active in Cursillo and a Communion minister. He was involved in the Marriage Encounter Group and very active in Pro-Life.
Survivors include his wife, Shirley Janice Nation, Wellsville; one son, David Wayne Nation, Wellsville; one daughter and son-in-law, Christine Jane and Richard Lee DeTienne, Wellsville; five grandchildren, Audria Dawn Crain, Madison, Aaron Joseph Holmes, Paris, Dustin Matthew Wagner, Lake St. Louis, Joshua Lee DeTienne, Wellsville, and Devon Marie DeTienne, Wellsville; two great-grandchildren, Morghan Elizabeth Crain, Madison, and Payden Matthew Crain, Madison; sisters and brothers and spouses, G. Joan Garufi, Wellsville, James Donald “Donnie” and Sandy Nation, Wellsville, Richard Vernon “Dick” and Linda Nation, Sanford, Fla., Mary Virginia and Jim Gooch, Wellsville, and Robert Wayne “Bob” and Caroline Nation, Wellsville; brother-in-law, Kenneth Heying, Wentzville; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Phyllis and Lonnie Randolph, Foristell; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Virginia Nation; sisters-in-law, Rebecca Alice “Becky” Nation and Elaine Heying; brother-in-law, Vincent Edward Garufi Jr.; two nephews, Patrick Alan Nation and Vincent Edward Garufi III; and a cousin, Charlie Foster.
Memorials may be made to the Church of the Resurrection or donor’s  choice.
Condolences to www.myersfuneralhome.biz