Jack Baylor

John M. “Jack” Baylor, 80, a resident of Bettendorf, Iowa peacefully passed away on Saturday, January 11, 2014 at his home after a courageous battle with cancer.

A service to celebrate his life will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Tuesday, January 14, 2014 at the Asbury United Methodist Church of Bettendorf where he was a faithful and active member.  Visitation will be from 4:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. on Monday at the McGinnis-Chambers Funeral Home of Bettendorf and one hour prior to services on Tuesday at the church.  Private family graveside services will be held at the Rock Island National Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Asbury United Methodist Church, the American Heart Association or the American Cancer Society.

He was born in Independence, Iowa on March 26, 1933, the son of Robert E. & Mable (Kaiser) Baylor.  During the Korean Conflict, he served on the Destroyer USS Douglas H. Fox as a Radioman 3rd Class.

On February 27, 1955, he was united in marriage to Ruth Irene Hallberg at the First Lutheran Church of Monmouth, Illinois.

Jack retired on May 1, 1992 after 35 years with the J.I. Case Company.  He was a Chief Engineer working on crawler tractor design and received the company’s first Master Inventor Award.

In addition to the church, he was a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers.  In his spare time, Jack enjoyed reading, working with computers, playing golf with his friends, investing, gardening and yard-work.

His family always came first in his life.  His love for them was a driving force which continued even after developing life-long health problems when the children were still young.  His greatest fulfillment was loving Ruth and celebrating his children’s and grandchildren’s lives and accomplishments.

Those left to honor his memory include his beloved wife, Ruth; his children, Larry (Diane) Baylor of Farragut, Tennessee, Jackie (Chris) Barnum of Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Jani Renee Baylor of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; his grandchildren, Renee (Wesley) Hughes of Pensacola, Florida, Lauren (Taryn) Ellsworth and Jonathan Baylor of Knoxville, Tennessee and Timothy Barnum of Omaha, Nebraska, Joseph & Julianne (twins) and Michele Barnum of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; his sister, Carolyn Hammond of Clearwater, Florida; and many nieces, nephews, other relatives and wonderful friends.

Jack was preceded in death by his sister, Catherine Leschorn; and his brothers, Robert E. Baylor Jr., Richard C. Baylor and Daryl E. Baylor.