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John
Felter
July 11, 1951 – May 26, 2026
John Adam Felter, aged 74, of Benton, Missouri passed away at Saint Francis Medical Center and went to his eternal home Tuesday, May 26th.
He was born July 11th , 1951, to Zeno "Sam" and Drusilla (Scherer) Felter in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
He married the love of his life, Janet (Freeman) Felter July 7th, 1973.
John was a life-long resident of Benton, graduating from Thomas W. Kelly High School in 1969. Many of his classmates remained dear friends whom he loved celebrating and spending time with. He was a member of St. Denis Catholic Church and served as a longtime lector and Eucharistic Minister. He also served on the Parish Council and was a member of the Saint Joseph Men's Sodality. John's love for God was evident in many ways as he served God at every opportunity and was a true example of a Christian...humble and kind and giving of himself.
John was also a life-long farmer and an avid John Deere antique tractor enthusiast, treasuring his John Deere 4020, purchased the year he graduated high school. He was also a mini tractor collector, as he frequented many toy shows and displayed his collection with pride. He extended his farming love and expertise to many friends in the community who would frequently call on him to assist. In many cases, he became "family" as he immersed himself in helping with their operation in any way he could. He was described as a father figure or mentor to many and his love for helping touched countless lives. He jokingly referred to himself as "Mr. Fix-it" to his children but ultimately was called upon to "fix" things by many. He kept many things in his truck, "...in case someone needed something...". He was happiest when he was helping and even more content when he was in the field, working the land. His love for growing things and seeing the fruit of one's labor extended to his grandson, Dylan, who preceded him in death.
He remained a strong supporter of Kelly Schools and served on the School Board for many years. His legacy of serving included the University of Missouri Extension and the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Committee. He was a member of the Farm Bureau and of the Knights of Columbus in Kelso, Missouri. He was also a member of the Benton Chamber of Commerce and was awarded Member of the Year in 2025. He was known as the "voice" of Benton Neighbor Days as he could be heard throughout the weekend announcing events and door prizes. He described this as one of his favorite times of the year as he loved serving and reconnecting with friends and family.
One of his favorite pastimes was fishing, and he was drawn to the lure of catching the "one that got away". His patience and persistence served him well with this activity that he especially enjoyed with his grandchildren.
Loving survivors in addition to his wife, Janet include one daughter, Jennifer (Russell) Gadberry and son John Adam (Brittany) Felter II; granddaughters, Morgan Gadberry, Berkleigh, and Brekyn Felter, and grandson, Jace Felter.
Additional loving survivors include brothers Sammy (Jolene) Felter, and Mike (Shari) Felter; nephews Douglas (Lauren), Derek (Kelly) and Trent (Brandi) Felter and nieces Michelle (Jimmy) Reynolds and Laura (Austin) Black as well as many great-nieces and nephews. In addition, he is survived by many dear cousins and his great-uncle, Bob (Ann) Scherer.
In addition to his grandson Dylan, he was preceded in death by his parents, Sam and Drusilla.
Services will be as follows:
Visitation Monday, June 1st from 4-8, (Parish prayers at 4 with visitation following) and prior to mass on Tuesday, June 2nd from 9-10 am at St. Denis Parish Center, Benton, Mo. Funeral service: Tuesday, June 2nd at 10 am at St. Denis Catholic Church, Benton, Mo.
St. Denis Catholic Church
Starts at 10:00 am
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