John A. Draves

John DravesHighland – John A. Draves, age 89, of Highland, passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2015 at Bloomfield Healthcare and Rehab Center in rural Dodgeville following the effects of a stroke. John was born on Sept. 4, 1926 to George and Rebekah (Eckstein) Draves on the family farm in Highland Township, Iowa County, WI.

Death spoke to John early in life through the death of a saved man, realizing he had a need of eternal security. On April 29, 1956 1st John 5:12-13 were used to show him God’s way of salvation, “that ye may know that ye have eternal life”.

John married Shirley Novak on March 30, 1957 at the home of Shirley’s parents. Together they farmed on the family farm until moving to Highland in August 1992. He continued to frequent his sons’ farms until recent years. He was kept busy hauling manure, baling hay and he was still chopping silage at 82 years of age.

John is survived by his wife of 58 years, Shirley, four children and nine grandchildren; Tim (Marsha) Draves of Highland with children Melody (Dan) Wessels and Bethany (Jake) Hewuse; Mike (Sheila) Draves of Highland with children Rachel (Jon) Ward, Naomi (Brent) May, Josh (Kaliwicks) Draves, and Jacob Draves; Sam (Lori) Draves of Highland with children Sarah (Zach) Wenger and Brian (Alina) Draves; and Sharon (Doug) Mullikin of Highland with daughter Rebekah Mullikin, and nine great-grandsons; Avery, Owen and Emerson Ward; Landon, Gavin and Brenden Wessels; Mitchell May; and Bryler and Brayson Draves. He is further survived by five siblings; Eunice Nankey of Highland, Margie (Dick) Welsh of Melbourne, FL, Vivian (Clark) Forbes of Friendship, WI, Marie (Richard) Roberts of Fennimore, and Jim (Sandy) Draves of Melbourne, FL, along with many other relatives and friends.

John was preceded in death by his parents, George and Rebekah, his stepmother Viola (Gribble) Draves, his sister and her husband John and Geneva (Draves) Machotka and brother-in-law Darrel Nankey.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Monday Oct. 5, 2015 at the Soman-Larson Funeral Home in Montfort with burial to follow in the Highland Public Cemetery in Highland, WI. Friends and family may call from 4:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. on Sunday evening Oct. 4, 2015 at the funeral home in Montfort and from 10:00 A.M. until the time of service on Monday morning. Online condolences may be made at larsonfuneralhomes.com.

The family would like to give sincere thanks to the staff at Bloomfield Healthcare & Rehab for their kindness and care of John throughout the past months.