Obituary of John Rekart

John Rekart, Sr. went home to be with his Savior on September 12, 2014. He was about one month shy of his 98th birthday. John, Sr. was born on October 15, 1916 at his parents’ home at 7th and SE Tenino aided by a team of Russian midwives who traveled from Tenino, Washington to assist. His parents, Anton and Catherine, emigrated from the Volga River area of Russia near Saratov to the United States prior to World War I. There were eleven children in their family. There is one surviving younger sister, Philomena, living in New York. John, Sr. grew up in the Sellwood community and attended St. Agatha School. He remained a member of St. Agatha Church his entire life. John, Sr. married Helen Moell on May 18, 1941 and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, receiving an honorable discharge. God blessed them with a beautiful family of eight children, sixteen grandchildren and, at last count, twenty-six great grandchildren, all of whom survive. John, Sr. and Helen were married 51 years before Helen went to her heavenly home in 1992. John, Sr. met the widowed Cleo Brainerd and they were married on June 23, 2003. Together they managed bed & breakfast establishments in Sandpoint, Idaho and Hammond, Oregon and a fabric shop in Oak Grove, Oregon. Cleo added four children, eight grandchildren and two great grandchildren to the extended family. They were married eleven years. John, Sr. loved and played sports of all kinds. He excelled in baseball, bowling, tennis and was a scratch golfer. He coached many sports and served as a president of the Sellwood-Moreland Little League. He served as a Cub Scout leader and Boy Scout Master of Troop 130. He was awarded the Silver Beaver by the Cascade Pacific Council of the Boy Scouts in the late 1950’s. That is for distinguished community service. He was active in his church and the Knights of Columbus, attaining the 4th Degree Knighthood and was elected Oregon State Deputy, serving from 1987 to 1989. He loved to travel and visited family in Germany, Canada and around the United States and will be missed by his family and friends. A Memorial Service will be held at St. Agatha’s Catholic Church on October 15 at 11:00 a.m. with the recitation of the rosary preceding the Memorial. There will be a reception following at Westmoreland Union Manor, 6404 S.E. 23rd Ave., in the Meeting Room. John, Sr. wished that any contributions or gifts be made to the St. Agatha School Scholarship Fund. Service Information