John Willie Flakes, Jr., passed peacefully at his home in
Wichita, Kansas, on October 5, 2023, at the age of 78. John
was the husband of the late Linda Flakes who passed 1 year
and 4 days prior. After spending the last year mourning our
mother, he is finally with her.
John is survived by his daughters Gigi Fergus and son-in-law
Tim Fergus (Wichita, KS), Nikki Raichlin and son-in-law
Andrew Raichlin (Rochester Mills, MI), and Jaime Aumiller
and son-in-law Shane Aumiller (Wichita, KS). John's
grandchildren include Grant and Kerri Fergus (Wichita, KS),
Zachary and Maranda Fergus (Seattle, WA), Mercedes
Fergus (Wichita), and Portia Fergus (Portland, OR), and
Andrew and Marilyn Raichlin II (Clawson, MI). John's
remaining siblings include Suz-Anne and Joe Midgett
(Quitman, GA), and Patrick and Patty Flakes (Memphis, TN).
John Willie Flakes, Jr., was born in Fort Benning, GA. A child
of a military family, he grew up at military installations
around the world. John met Linda at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City in 1964, and they married on June 5, 1965.
At the time, John was the Catholic Chaplains Assistant in the Army and Linda was the president of the Protestant Youth
Organization. John loved Linda fiercely his entire life. John and Linda owned several gift stores in Oklahoma City
including Chess & Velvet and Dolls, Games & Things. John created the Oklahoma Chess League and was a rated chess
grandmaster, a game he loved dearly. John and Linda were actively involved in the Catholic Church, working at various
parishes across the country as pastoral administrators and directors of religious formation. In his later years, John
became a Microsoft Certified Engineer and set up computer systems for seniors, small businesses, and colleagues.
John will be remembered for his booming voice, especially at the WSU Girls Basketball games, cheering his grandsons on
at wrestling tournaments, and his wonderful tenor voice that graced many a church choir loft. John's sense of
adventure and love of travel took he and Linda around the world from Europe to Africa, from the Arctic Circle to India.
John and Linda had travelled to all US States, and he was always willing to offer a recommendation for what to see and
do in any location.
John loved baseball and was always willing to catch a game – from the games he played with his Stratomaticus league to
going to Spring Training to catching the entire Baseball Around The Clock series. He was a players fan, not a team fan.
Per his request, there is no funeral, no memorial. His only wish was to have his ashes spread where we spread his
Linda's the year before at Oxbow Bend in The Tetons. Any memorials should be made on behalf of his name and sent to
Hunter Health Clinic in Wichita – John and Linda adamantly believed that all people should have access to healthcare
and supported Hunter Health throughout their lives and now in death.