John Franklin Barcus
Marriages
Earlynne Butters - June 24, 1950
Burial Details
Obituaries
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 7 B Death Notice - November 30, 2016
John Barcus, 92, Crawford, died Nov. 25, 2016, in Grand Junction.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Dec. 10 at the Crawford Community
United Methodist Church in Crawford.
Survivors include two sons, Gary of Ventura, California, and
Marty of Hamilton, Montana; one daughter, Janie White of Grand
Junction; one grandchild; two step-grandchildren; and three stepgreat-
grandchildren.
Memorial contributions to the Crawford Community United
Methodist Church, 297 Dogwood Ave., Crawford 81415.
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 3D Obituary - December 4, 2016
John Franklin Barcus
September 26, 1924 - November 25, 2016
John passed peacefully at the
home of his daughter, Janie.
He was 92 years young! He
had a great sense of humor
and loved a practical joke.
John was born to Wesley and
Francis Barcus in Panora,
Iowa. His family moved to
Fruita, Colorado when he was
14. John graduated from
Fruita Union High School in
1942. He worked for the railroad as a telegraph operator. He
served two years in the US Army, stationed in the Phillipines.
He owned and operated a filling station in Fruita before going to
work for the post office.
John met and married the love of his life, Earlynne Butters, on
June 24, 1950. They lived in Fruita until Earlynn’s retirement in
1989 when they moved to Crawford, Colorado. John was an
active member of the community; he was a member of the
Crawford Community United Methodist Church, Canyon
Wrenderings Audubon Society, Friends of the Crawford State
Park and Northfork Trails Network which he and Earlynne were
founders. He was involved wherever he was; in Fruita as a
member of the Fruita Volunteer Fire Department for 20 years
and he was a Boy Scout leader for 12 years. One of John’s
many strengths was his mentoring. He always had a child
tucked under his wing, teaching them to fish or be a better
person. Young or old he had a way of teaching. It was who he
was.
John and Earlynne belonged to a group of friends called
Supper Club. This group got together once a month since high
school. The club is still active down to the last surviving four.
John kept the official weather for Fruita for 18 years and
somewhat unofficial for Crawford for many years after moving
there. He kept all his records and he could tell you how much
snow fell on any given day in any year, or when the ice was
thick enough to go ice fishing and how that date compared to
last year. John was also a Colorado Outfitter and Guide for mule
deer for 12 years. He loved to hunt and even more he loved to
fish. He spent his lifetime fishing. However he did not like to
eat fish, so he would catch, clean, fillet and freeze them in order
to give them away to his friends. The recipients of his catch will
shed a tear and fish of the world will sigh with relief.
John is survived by two sons, Gary Barcus (Wendi) of
Ventura, California and Marty Barcus (Debbie) of Hamilton,
Montana; daughter, Janie White (Duane) of Grand Junction,
Colorado; granddaughter, Taylor Barcus; step-grandchildren,
Heather King and Sean Beinlich; and step-great-grandchildren,
Colin, Alex and Brooklyn King; sister, Elizabeth Hollandsworth
of Durango, CO, several nieces and nephews.
John was preceded in death by his wife, Earlynne; parents,
Wesley and Francis Barcus; siblings, Willard Barcus, Mary
Caldwell, Helen Barcus and Ruth Barcus.
A memorial service celebrating John’s life will be held at
11:00 a.m., Saturday, December 10, 2016, at the Crawford
Community United Methodist Church in Crawford Colorado
with Rev. Tonya Whaley officiating.
The family suggests in lieu of flowers, contributions be made
in John’s memory to Crawford Community United Methodist
Church, 297 Dogwood Avenue, Crawford, CO 81415.
