John Lewis Gober

John Lewis Gober of Chesterfield, Missouri, passed away on July 5, 2025 at the age of 89.

He was the dear husband of Anne Gober (Wisdom) for 36 years. He was loved dearly for his gentle strength, patient heart, quiet disposition, and calm spirit.

John was born to Mary Katherine (Pebeck) and Allen Lee Gober on December 5, 1935 on a small farm in Franklin County, Missouri, shortly after the family relocated from Colorado to escape the Dust Bowl. They traveled in a model T pick-up truck with everything they owned. As World War II developed, the family briefly resided in St. Louis, but then returned to their farm in Gerald, Missouri.

John attended elementary school in a one room country schoolhouse. He graduated from Union High School in 1954.

After one year at Southwest Baptist College in Bolivar, Missouri, John was drafted by the U.S. Army. He served two years active duty and four additional years in active reserves. In 1961, he was honorably discharged as a staff sergeant with six years of honest and faithful military service.

John built a career as a salesman and concrete form designer and estimator for twenty years at Goedecke Company and for twenty-four years at Nuway before his retirement in 2014.

John took tremendous pride in his sixty-six years of membership in Freemasonry. This began with his time as a DeMolay in Union, Missouri in 1959. He humbly lived out of the fraternal ideals and teachings of care and service for others. With deep respect for the organization, coupled with admiration for his father and his previous service, John was honored to wear his father’s Masonic ring.

John enjoyed reading historical novels, assembling challenging puzzles, playing a strategic game of cards, and embracing the beauty of nature. He loved walking the Katy Trail with Anne and sister-in-law, Shirley Callahan. He often reminisced about trips with his siblings, Norma and Al, and their spouses, that he and Anne enjoyed. When blessed with family time, his heart was happiest.

John leaves behind his wife Anne, his children Deanna Gober and Brian (Karen) Gober, his stepchildren Deanna (Jim) Breeden and Danette (David) Randolph; his grandchildren Michelle (Charlie) Jacob, Kevin (Jessica) Carpenter, Heather, Christopher, Christian, and Anthony Gober, Jordan, Jamie and Joel Breeden, Kirk (Sabrina) Randolph and Dean (Aubrie) Randolph; his great-grandchildren Chloe, Henry, and Cameron Jacob, Conner Gober, and Hayes and Maren Randolph.

John is preceded in death by his brother Gerald (Verna) Gober and is survived by his brothers, Al (Linda) of Plentywood, Montana, his sister, Norma Ottman of St. Louis, Missouri, and Jim (Ann) of Greeley, Colorado.

John also leaves behind his dearest of friends, Royce and Suzanne Scott. Royce was a life-long, influential friend in John’s life. John loved to tell the story of Royce, at age 14, sharing that he had met a girl that he liked and was going to marry… and nine years later he did just that when he married Suzanne. Their beautiful friendship embraced Anne as they shared their love for travel, frequent dinners followed by competitive, yet playful games of Sequence, and numerous theatre performances.

In lieu of flower, the family requests donations be made to BJC Hospice and Evelyn’s House at GivingBarnesJewish.org.