Graveside services for John Allen Ketcher Jr. are 10 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 11, 2012, at the Tahlequah City Cemetery, under the care of Green Country Funeral Home. Online condolences may be left at tahlequahfuneral.com.
John Allen Ketcher Jr., was born June 6, 1948, in Tahlequah, the son of John A. and Mildred (Justice) Ketcher. He left us on the morning of Aug. 6, 2012. He was 64 years old.
John attended schools in Philadelphia, Miss.; Lawrence, Kan.; and El Reno. After high school, he attended Northeastern State University, until being drafted.
He served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, gaining skills as a medic at Fort Sam Houston Hospital, San Antonio, Texas. He was detailed to serve the remainder of his tour with the Fort Carson, Colo., Helicopter Evacuation Team, a forerunner to today's successful civilian helicopter ambulance service.
After discharge, he attained his physician's assistant credentials in Phoenix. His career began at W.W. Hastings Indian Hospital and concluded there, many years later. In the interim, he served native people in his caring and peaceful way in Idaho, Washington, and Nevada; and other indigenous people of Lesotho, Africa with the World Health Organization.
John was fondly known as a water baby who fished and water-skied, and as a boy, he visited, camped and swam with his many cousins, aunts and uncles. Basketball was a favorite sport, and watching the Seattle Sonics transform to the OKC Thunder made him smile.
He and his family loved to travel, enjoying Washington, Hawaii, Maine, and many other places. He was a kind and loving soul.
Preceding him in death are his parents, John A. and Mildred Ketcher; his son, Avrhom Ketcher; his beloved grandparents, Walter and Freddie Justice; and others.
He is survived by his wife, Dalene (Pilon), and children, Anjali and Aaron Ketcher, of Tahlequah; brothers, Gary Ketcher and wife Petra of Chelsea, Rick Ketcher and wife Tracey of Pueblo, Colo., and Matthew Davis and wife Julie of Park Hill; stepmother, Colleen (Talbott) Ketcher of Tahlequah; and by many dearly loved aunts, uncles, cousins nieces, nephews and friends.
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