John “Irvin” Wolf, 91, of Quinter, passed away on December 4, 2018 in Hospice House of Olathe, Kansas. He was born on September 11, 1927, on the family farm just east of Quinter to Ezra Lawrence Wolf and Zora Blanche Jamison Wolf. He grew up with older sister Eula and younger brothers Elvin and Ed where the children were busy with the family’s milking shorthorn cattle and Rhode Island Red chickens.
After graduating from Quinter High School, Irvin attended McPherson College where he played basketball. He graduated from Kansas State University in 1952 with a degree in animal husbandry and returned to Quinter to farm.
While at Kansas State University Irvin met the love of his life Sylvia Kathleen Boettcher and after proposing on Valentine’s Day they were married on May 30, 1953. Irvin and Sylvia welcomed four children, Karen, Tom, Melissa, and Kimberly, fifteen grandchildren, thirty-four great-grandchildren and one precious great-great granddaughter. Irvin and Sylvia greatly enjoyed watching the grandchildren grow and babysitting those that were close. Birthday gatherings and holidays were very special to Irvin.
Irvin was also very involved in the Quinter community. He was baptized in and attended the Quinter Church of the Brethren where he also taught Sunday school. He was on numerous boards including the Co-op Credit Union and U.S.D. 293. He was on the Federal Land Bank Board of Directors and the Federal Land Bank National Advisory Board. Irvin partnered with Merton Ikenberry to build the Quinter Dairy Queen and the Texaco, which is now Alta. One of his proudest accomplishments was spearheading the expansion of the Quinter Public Library into the larger Jay Johnson Public Library.
In addition to farming, Irvin sold crop insurance for fifty years. He and Sylvia provided this essential service to area farmers well into their retirement. He also worked at Northwest Kansas Planning and Development as a grant administrator.
Irvin had many hobbies and interests. In the early 1980s, he and his youngest daughter, Kimberly, were delighted to show Arabian horses. He had an appreciation for Western Art and greatly enjoyed many hours of landscaping and what the grandchildren called “vacuuming” his lawn.
Irvin was preceded in death by his wife, his parents and two siblings, Eula and Elvin.
Irvin is survived by his four children, Karen (Galen) Heinrich of Paola, Tom (Linda) Wolf of Olathe, Melissa (Sam) Atkins of Hill City, and Kimberly (Rod) Renyer of Quinter; grandchildren, Kristy (Shad) Vermeesch, Becky Escobar, Emily Heinrich, Matthew (Dana) Heinrich, Shawn (Kayla) Atkins, Tommy (Kelli) Atkins, David (Christine) Atkins, Casey (Tayler) Atkins, Carter Atkins, Kelli (Kyle) Moles, Amy (Eric) Shackelford, Anthony Lakin, Jessa (Justin) Johnson, Johanna Renyer, Jayma Renyer; thirty-four great-grandchildren; one great-great-granddaughter, and his brother Ed (Marlene) Wolf of Ithaca, New York.
A funeral service celebrating Irvin’s life will be held at 10:30 a.m., Monday, December 10, 2018, at the Church of the Brethren, Quinter, Kansas. Burial will follow in the Baker Township Cemetery, Quinter.
There will be a short viewing and visitation one hour prior to services at the church.
The family suggests that those who desire to memorialize Irvin do so with gifts to the Jay Johnson Public Library. Contributions to the library may be left in care of Schmitt Funeral Home, 901 Main Street, Quinter, KS 67752.