John Pierre Ronck of Bella Vista, Arkansas passed away March 28, 2020. He was born April 9, 1927, in Wakita, Oklahoma to John Francis Ronck and Theresa Theodora (Weber) Ronck. His parents were wheat farmers and lived on the farm that his grandfather homesteaded in 1893.
John graduated from Wakita High School in 1945 and was drafted into the United States Army shortly thereafter. He received his basic training at Fort Riley, Kansas and was part of the last military horse cavalry. During his service, he participated in a ceremony on November 1, 1945, at Fort Riley, Kansas that ended the Army’s horse cavalry.
John was later commissioned a Second Lieutenant and was sent to serve in Udine, Italy. Shortly thereafter his father died in April 1947. John was honorably discharged from the military and allowed to return to the family farm in Wakita to take over the farming operation and to provide care for his mother.
John married Betty Bland on November 19, 1947, at St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Manchester, Oklahoma. They had five children: Keith Pierre, John William, Connie Jolene, Douglas Wayne and Rodney Joseph. He dearly loved his family.
John enrolled in college along with his daughter, Connie, at the age of 41 and later received his first degree in Secondary Education and his Master's Degree in School Guidance Counselor. During his post-farming career, he was a guidance counselor, a realtor and later he worked for the State of Oklahoma’ Child Welfare Department.
In 1975 his youngest son, Rodney, tragically died.
John retired from the State of Oklahoma in July 1992 and moved to Bella Vista, Arkansas in September of the same year to spend his retirement years playing golf. Additionally, John worked many years at the Bentonville Wal-mart Super Center in the Paint and Hardware Department.
John’s family and extended family grew during his many years of life to include 11 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great-grandchildren.
Memorials can be sent to the Wakita Nursing Home. Services and burial are pending at this time.
