John L. Stong, 54, of Seneca, died suddenly Tuesday, September 3, 2013, at St. Francis Hospital in Topeka, after being transferred from Nemaha Valley Community Hospital in Seneca.

John was born on March 3, 1959 in Kansas City, Missouri, the son of George Ivan and Leona M. Almond Stong. He attended grade school in Wichita, Kansas and junior high and high school in Sealing, Oklahoma graduating with the Class of 1977. He served his country for one year before being medically discharged.

He married Tina Burchett in Manhattan, Kansas on June 4, 1983. The couple had two children. They later divorced. John attended Vo-Tech in Oklahoma City. He worked road construction and in the oil fields of Oklahoma. In 1991, while working road construction in Glasco, Kansas he met Mary Carr. The couple was wed on September 11, 1993. John served on the Volunteer Fire department and the First Responders while living in Glasco; something which held great meaning to him. The couple lived in Mahaska, Kansas and Hollenberg, Kansas before moving to Seneca in 2004. John worked for Landoll’s Manufacturing until his health required him to retire in 2007.

John enjoyed fishing, hunting, wood crafts and telling jokes.

He is preceded in death by his parents.

He is survived by his wife of 20 years, Mary Stong of Seneca; children, Angel (Dan) Byers of Baldwin City, Kansas, John Stong Jr of Junction City, Jessica (Dallas) Chapman of Junction City; mother-in-law, Marian Carr of Seneca; grandchildren, Dylan McManis, Raimi Chapman, Octavius Turnage and Zayne Stong; an aunt, Marla Payden of Sealing, Oklahoma; and his lifelong best friend, Brad and Melanie Miller of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Funeral service for John will be 1 PM Thursday, September 5th, at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca. The family will visit with friends a hour prior to the service.

Memorials will be designated later.