John J. "Jack" Jankord, 87, of Redfield died July 28, 2014. Mass of Christian Burial will be Saturday, August 2, 2014 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Bernard's Catholic Church in Redfield. Fr. Christopher Hughes will celebrate the mass. Burial will be in St. Bernard's Catholic Cemetery.

Visitation will be Friday, from 2:00-8:00 p.m. at Thelen Funeral Home. Jack's family will be present starting at 4:00 p.m. with a celebration of life service beginning at 4:30 p.m.

Memorials are suggested to be given to the Redfield School Foundation or the Foster Grandparent program in Jack's memory. www.thelenfuneralhome.com


Jack was born May 20, 1927 in Faulk County to Aloysius and Mary (Leitner) Jankord, the second youngest of eleven children. He graduated from Redfield High School. He married Jean Evelyn Graves on November 11, 1946 in Oakland, CA. After Jack's honorable discharge from the United States Marines they moved back to Redfield where Jack managed the meat department at Red Owl and then the new Sooper Dooper. In 1960 they purchased the Bus Caf? and then the Coffee Shop which they ran until 1978. They owned Jack's Meat Market in Madison, SD until they retired in 2001 and moved back to Redfield.

He was a member of St. Bernard's Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus and the Elks. Jack hunted and was an avid golfer. It was at Fisher Grove Country Club he earned the nickname Hacker. Jack cherished being a foster grandparent at the Redfield School and his role as "Grandpa Jack." Jack's most important role was "father" to his five children, "food police" to his 13 grandchildren and "official baby holder" to his 15 great grandchildren.

Jack leaves lasting memories to family including his wife of over 67 years, Jean of Redfield, their children: Mary Ann (Dean) Myers of Spearfish, Jeff (Yvonne) Jankord of Madison, SD, Debra (David) Markus of Rock Rapids, IA, Dean (Diane) Jankord of Lonsdale, MN and Rich (Lorah Houser) Jankord of Tulare, SD. He is also survived by his grandchildren and great grandchildren: Jason Myers and children Gabriel Shuck and Zailey Myers; Sarah (Gene) Sorrell and children Wesley, Sam, Alex and Kyleigh; Erin (Luke) Mosey and children JJ and Brandon Hall, Jada and Gregory Mosey; Jared Jankord and children Garrett, Jack, Oliver and EllieAnna; Joshua (Danica) Markus and daughter Ruby; Jon (Dani) Markus, Jesse Markus, Amalia Jankord, Adrianna (Chris Cassidy) Jankord, Alexander Jankord, Anastasia Jankord, Bradley (Anna Sturdevant) Jankord and Emma Jankord. He is also survived by his sisters-in-law Lucy Jankord, Shirley (Jerry) Fuss and Doris Anderson along with several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, three sisters: Bernice, Genevieve and Delores and seven brothers: Bill, Al, Emery, Lamont, Laverne, Clayton and Fr. Jerry.