John McIntire

John McIntire, 82, of Afton died Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2017, at Greater Regional Hospice Home in Creston.

Celebration of life services will be 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 13, at Powers Funeral Home, junction of highways 34 and 25, in Creston. Pastor Dwayne Henrichs will officiate. Burial will be in Greenlawn Cemetery in Afton. Open visitation will be from 2 to 7 p.m. Thursday with family receiving friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Memorials are to the family to be established at a later date. Online condolences can be given at www.powersfh.com.

John E. McIntire was born Dec. 31, 1934, in Carbon to Roy Earl McIntire and Eathyl Viola Duey. He attended school in Carbon until third grade and then attended Creston schools, graduating from Creston High School in 1953.

On Sept. 29, 1954, John was united in marriage to Wanda Lee Perry at the Methodist parsonage in Osceola. They lived south of Thayer while he worked at Corning Concrete Plant, also working at the Farrell Rodeo and Hopley Rodeo Companies, where he was a bullfighter and pickup man. Later they moved to Lacona, where John worked at the Golden Rod Pony Farm. John received the honor of Grand River Rodeo Champion Cowboy in 1969 and 1970, and also shod horses and broke horses. He worked for Fansteel in Creston for many years, retiring in 1996.

John was a member and past president of Union County Saddle Club. He was a founding member of the United Rodeo Association, where he served as bull riding director for many terms. John was also known for traveling to many parades with his 20-mule team and many pony hitches. John was a former Golden Gloves boxer.

Survivors include his wife Wanda McIntire of Afton; three sons, Barry McIntire of Afton, Jack (wife Barb) McIntire of Afton and Jerry (wife Terrinda) McIntire of Thayer; three daughters, Cheryl (husband Danny) Purdum of Lenox, Sheila (husband Herman) Chenoweth of Afton and Shelly (husband Bill) Robinson of Creston; 14 grandchildren, Cody (Cali) Purdum, Casey (Jenny) Purdum, Nick, Kevin (Kate), Shawn (Donna) Allen, Mallory Peterson, Zach (Madison) Peterson, Matt (Laurie) Chenoweth, Michelle (Jason) Wilson, Emily Robinson, Amanda Robinson, Wylie (Stephanie) McIntire, Dalli McIntire and Dallen McIntire; 20 great-grandchildren; one brother Ray (wife Janie) McIntire of Gardner, Kansas; one sister-in-law Marianne Alice McIntire of Shenandoah and a host of nieces, nephews, family and friends.

John was preceded in death by his parents and three brothers, Lloyd, Everette and one at birth, Carl Rex McIntire.