Ficker

John Shields "Pops" Ficker, born May 23, 1940, died Saturday Dec. 11, 2021, with his wife by his side.

He graduated from Staunton High School in 1958. He left home to enroll in Worsham Mortuary College in Chicago and graduated the following year. He started his mortuary career with Williamson Funeral Homes in Staunton and continued there until he moved his family to Jerseyville in 1965 to join Jacoby Brothers & Sons Funeral Home and Furniture Store. In 1981, he changed careers and became deputy sheriff of Jersey County under Sheriff Frank Yocom and continued there until his retirement in 2002. He was a Jersey County volunteer firefighter as well as auxiliary police officer. He was very involved in Hope Lutheran church, acting as financial secretary for numerous years, as well as usher.

He is survived by his wife, Ruth Ann (Brauer) Ficker; his daughter, Merilee and her children Rylee, Finnegan, Kennedy and Ryan; his daughter-in-law, Karen and her kids, Emily (Chad), Zachary (Maggie) and Samuel (companion Sydney Hagen). Pops is also survived by his great-grandchildren, Marleigh Ruth, Ziggy Conrad, Piper Grace, Stephen Kingston and Gideon Anthony; his godson, Nathan Bishop; his brother-in-law, Dean Brauer; and many cherished cousins. John was preceded in death by his son, Stephen; his parents, John A. and Florence (Shields) Ficker; in-laws and several brothers-in-law.

Funeral services were held Tuesday, Dec. 14, at Hope Lutheran Church in Jerseyville. Burial was at the Oak Grove Cemetery.

Memorials are suggested to the Hope Lutheran Church. His cousins at the Shields-Bishop Funeral Home in Greenfield are assisting the family. Condolences may be left online at shields-bishopfh.com.