John Delbert Avery Jr.

John Delbert Avery, Jr., son of John Sr. and Helen (Dawson) Avery, was born on January 11, 1955 in Chilton County, Alabama, and passed away on October 21, 2015 in Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Missouri at 60 years, 9 months, and 10 days of age.
John graduated from school in Huntsville, Alabama. He then went on to earn his BS Degree in Wildlife Management from Auburn University and then received his Masters Degree in Horticulture from Alabama A & M University in Huntsville.
John married Connie Renea Stanley on September 15, 1979 in Huntsville, Alabama. Three daughters were born to this union. John and Renea had just celebrated their 36th wedding anniversary.
John loved being a father and grandfather. He had the wonderful blessing of being able to get on his knees in prayer with his daughters and lead them to the Lord. He firmly believed in living what you preach and was able to be an example for his family of what Christ wants us to be. God gave John one of his dearest requests. He asked God to let him live long enough to see his granddaughter, Ellie, start school. She started first grade this year and John was grateful for his time to make memories with her and his other precious grandkids. He greatly enjoyed fishing with them and pushing them in the swing.
John worked as a farm manager and then as a fruit grower advisor at MSU Fruit Experiment Station for many years. John also enjoyed gardening, bee keeping, and hunting. He loved sharing his knowledge with others as well as sharing the fruits of his labors. He was a great teacher to many.
Get-togethers with family and friends, especially the 4th of July parties, were some of Johns favorite times. He greatly loved his parents and enjoyed helping them and being on their farm with them, especially time spent hunting with his Dad. John also loved his church family and served as a Deacon at the First Baptist Church in Mountain Grove for many years. Other than his love for his Savior, his greatest love was for his wife, Renea. He demonstrated that love as he cared for her and nursed her back to health after her car accident.
John was preceded in death by two grandsons: Matthew Hayes and Andrew Hayes.
He is survived by his loving wife of their home in Norwood, Missouri, Renea; his parents: John Sr. and Helen Avery of Pulaski, Tennessee; three daughters: Callie Avery of Marion Illinois, Malina Jordan and her husband, Blake, of Mountain Grove, Missouri, and Rachelle Martie and her husband, Jeff of Anchorage, Alaska; four grandchildren: Ellie Renea Jordan, Gracie Mae Jordan, Roland Scot Martie, and Lucas John Martie; two sisters: Pam Avery of Birmingham, Alabama, and Patricia Brown and her husband, John, of Nashville, Tennessee; two aunts, one uncle, several nephews and nieces, adopted family, church family, and friends who will miss him greatly.


Visitation: Sunday, October 25, 2015, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM at Craig-Hurtt Funeral Home.

Funeral Service: Monday, October 26, 2015, at 10:00 AM at First Baptist Church, Mountain Grove.

Burial: Bado Cemetery