John Elvin Whipple came into this world kicking and screaming on March 13, 1950, in Hamburg, Iowa. His parents were John C. and Margaret (Mortimore) Whipple. He was the first of six children. They grew up on a farm northwest of Sidney, Iowa and he took his final trip on Saturday, January 13, 2024, at the age of 73.

John attended grade school in Percival, Iowa then went to Sidney for junior high and high school, graduating with the class of 1968. While in school, he participated in football, track, band, drama, and FFA. John was also active in 4-H where he met his future wife, Cheryl.

After high school, John attended Iowa Western Community College. When he completed college, he went to work as a welder for Farm Master Products and farmed part time.

On May 22, 1971, John married the love of his life, Cheryl Ann Andersen at the Methodist Church in Farragut, Iowa. They made their home northwest of Sidney where he farmed part time and had an off-farm job. In 1973, he started farming full time. In 1977, the couple moved to a farm in Locust Grove Township where they expanded the farm and started a family. They had two children, Trevor, and later Dara. In 2016, John turned the majority of the farm over to Trevor so he could stay home to take care of Cheryl. Cheryl passed away in 2021.

John was also active in several organizations, Fremont County Farm Bureau, Fremont County Extension Council, Fremont County Board of Supervisors, Fremont County Zoning, 4-H leader and Youth Committee, Southwest Regional Water District, Iowa Corn Promotion Board, U.S. Feed Grains Council, and Advisory Board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. He had leadership roles in all of them. He helped with the Sidney Iowa Rodeo for many years and was one of the founders of the Southern Loess Hills Welcome Center. John earned his private pilots license in 1980 and enjoyed flying family and friends on trips around the area. In his spare time, John liked to build things, hunt and fish, and spending time with family and friends.

John was preceded in death by his parents; wife of 50 years, Cheryl Whipple; sister, Julie Scharlau and brother-in-law, Tim Scharlau. Survivors include son, Trevor (Mandy) Whipple, Northboro, Iowa, daughter, Dara Whipple, Tarkio, Missouri; grandchildren, Collin, Nathaniel, Brody, and Bryar; brother, Gary (Debbie) Whipple, Sidney, sisters, Valerie (Charlie) Hogrefe, Albert City, Iowa, Diana Whipple, Ames, Iowa, and Dixie (Mark) Moklestad, Sheldahl, Iowa; many cousins, nieces, nephews, family, and friends.

That’s all folks!

Open visitation begins 9:00 A.M., Thursday, January 18, 2024, Davis Funeral Home, Tarkio, where the family will receive friends from 6:00-7:00 P.M.

Funeral Service: 10:30 A.M., SATURDAY, January 20, First Baptist Church, Tarkio.

Interment: Walden Grove Cemetery, Westboro, Missouri.

In lieu of flowers, memorials will be divided between Davis-Rodgers FFA, Shenandoah, Iowa and Tarkio FFA.

Arrangements: Davis Funeral Home, Tarkio.

www.minterfuneralchapels.com