John Calvin "Jack" Dotson, 93, died at the Colonial Manor in Columbus Junction on April 29, 2022. The son of Lee Earl and Marian Green Dotson, he was born on August 24, 1928, and was a lifetime resident of Wapello.
Jack married his Wapello High School sweetheart, Jeanette Nancie Purdy, on November 13, 1946, and they had celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary in 2019. Together, they danced through life and raised six children on their family farm south of Wapello. He set the bar high for being the best role model they could ever ask for. More importantly, he loved the Lord and instilled that in his children.
He was known for his strong work ethic as he was a “Jack” of all trades. From livestock and grain farming, driving a school bus to being a Louisa County Bailiff, he was a busy man. He was a master craftsman with an innovative mind, and you could often find him tinkering and working with his hands on a new invention or gadget.
He enjoyed life, never knew a stranger, and was always up for an adventure. He built and race boats, go-carts, and even tractors. He earned a brown belt in karate, flew airplanes, and knew the Mississippi River like the back of his hand. Oh the stories he could tell!
Jack was community minded and was a BLG 4-H leader, a church deacon, Sunday school teacher, and a Wapello city councilman, among other things. Although he never mastered an instrument, he had a love for music and made sure his kids got a musical background and especially enjoyed being part of the Kecks Men’s Chorus and Theater.
Jack will be missed by all who knew him, but especially by his children whom he dearly loved: James “Jim” (Rosemary) Dotson of Montezuma, John Thomas (Barb) Dotson of Columbus Junction, Janice (Kurt) Odle of Wapello, Jeffrey (Jane Marie) Dotson of Riverside, Judy (Chris) Ball of Mediapolis, and Jane (Doug) Boyer of Oakville; 21 grandchildren; 37 great-grandchildren; 2 great-great-grandchildren; sister-in-law Bonnie (Lee Earl) Dotson; a brother, Glen (Jeanne) Dotson of Arizona; many nieces and nephews; and special friends, Sharon Murray and Mike Chaplin.
In addition to his wife and parents, Jack was preceded in death by his brothers, Phillip of Arizona and Lee Earl of Wapello, sister, Mary Jane (Scheihing-Borchardt), and infant grandson, John Scott Dotson, and his granddaughter, Sarah Elizabeth Dotson.
Visitation for Jack will be on Thursday, June 2, 2022, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Brigg’s Civic Center in Wapello. A celebration of life and a meal will follow also at the Brigg’s Center. A private burial will be held at a later date in Wapello. A memorial fund has been established for the benefit of Louisa County Public Health, Wapello Presbyterian Church, and Oakville Methodist Church.