Jack Dempsey

Jack Edward Dempsey 1923 2007 Jack Edward Dempsey, age 83, longtime Coffeyville resident entered into rest on Sunday afternoon, March 4, 2007 at the Coffeyville Regional Medical Center. Jack was born January 13, 1924 in Kansas City, Missouri to Walter Richard Dempsey and Helen Louise Ridenour Dempsey-Leffler. His early schooling was in various locations. Jacks family moved to Coffeyville from Van Buren, Arkansas in 1937. Jack was a 1942 graduate of Field Kindley Memorial High School. He attended Coffeyville Junior College until March of 1943. Mr. Dempsey joined the United States Army where he and 17 other student Army enlistees were called to active duty. He was stationed at Camp Roberts, California during his basic training. Mr. Dempsey served in the Pacific Theatre during WWII. Jack was wounded in action on December of 1944 and received the Purple Heart Medal and returned to the States and was honorably discharged in August of 1945. On October 6, 1943 he married Grace Eleanor Axton in the Axton family home on West Sixth Street. They made their home in San Francisco where Mr. Dempsey was in the Armed Forces and a student at the University of San Francisco. Following World War II, they made their home in Coffeyville where Mr. Dempsey was employed by Missouri Pacific Railroad and Parkersburg Rig and Reel Co. In 1952 they moved to Bartlesville, Oklahoma where Mr. Dempsey was employed by Phillips Petroleum Company. Over the next twenty years, they lived in Pasadena, Texas; Atlanta, Georgia; Borger and Houston, Texas. They returned to live in Coffeyville in 1976, when the family opened the Convenient Food Mart and Laundromat which they later sold. Jack accepted employment with Emerson Electric of Independence, Kansas from 1978 until his retirement in 1988. Jack started work January of 1989 as a part-time employee with Ford-Wulf-Bruns Funeral Service, Inc. and was currently employed by Penwell-Gabel Ford-Wulf-Bruns Funeral Home of Coffeyville at the time of his death. Memberships include: First United Methodist Church, VFW Post 1022, Disabled American Veterans, American Legion Post 20, AARP, Coffeyville Library Board, served on the Board of Directors of Senior Services of SEK nutritional program where he also served as Treasurer. He served on the Board of Directors Pioneer Chapter of the American Red Cross serving as chairman of Blood Services for 8 years. Jack loved to sing and had been active in the Coffeyville Community Male Chorus, Frank Phillips Male Chorus, and sang for four years in the Atlanta Symphony Chorus under the direction of Robert Shaw. He was always in his church choir wherever he was living. He also enjoyed little theater and had been active in both the Bartlesville Little Theater and Coffeyville Community Theater. He has appeared in numerous plays in both cities and has also appeared in six Neewollah musical productions in Independence. He is survived by one son, David Dempsey of Collinsville, OK; two daughters, Jane Mashburn and husband, Phillip of Coffeyville and Kelly Pruitt and husband, Charlie of Owasso, OK; six grandchildren, Jill Kirk Tyler, Amy Foster Greg, Jake Mashburn, Ethan Pruitt, Lucas Pruitt and Logan Pruitt; two great-grandchildren, Ashley and Zachary Kirk. He was preceded in death by his wife Grace Eleanor Dempsey, his parents, one infant sister, two brothers, Carl Dempsey and Mearl Leffler and one sister, Dorothea Schuttler. Friends may call on Wednesday, March 7, 2007 from 9:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. at the Penwell-Gabel Ford-Wulf-Bruns Chapel, 2405 Woodland Ave., Coffeyville. The family will receive friends on Wednesday evening from 6:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m., Thursday, March 8, 2007 at the First United Methodist Church in Coffeyville, Kansas. Rev. John Collins will be officiating. Burial will follow in the Penwell-Gabels Restlawn Memorial Park Cemetery, Coffeyville in the Garden of Hope. Ft. Riley Big Red One, Ft. Riley, Kansas will be conducting Military Rites. Memorial contributions may be given in lieu of flowers to the First United Methodist Church, Coffeyville Community College or The Pioneer Chapter of the American Red Cross. co Penwell-Gabel Funeral Home. To leave a special message for the family online, visit www.PenwellGabel.com