John Edward Pok

Pok John Edward Pok, age 87, of Columbus/Worthington Hills, passed away peacefully, surrounded by loving family on Tuesday July 16, 2013. John was born in Chicago, IL, February 17, 1926 to the late Gustov and Emma Pok. A graduate of Morton High School, class of 1944 and Morton Junior College. He attended the University of Chicago and LSU. A member of "The Greatest Generation" John proudly served his country in the U.S. Army 66th Infantry Black Panther Division during WWII. He survived the torpedo sinking of the troop ship, USS Leopoldville in the English Channel on Christmas Eve 1944, then went on to fight in the Battle of the Bulge. His war story has been shared with many grade school children in Ohio and Indiana and has been submitted to the Library of Congress. He loved all sports, especially tennis and football, was runner-up in the Illinois High School State tennis championship his senior year and post-war he played for the US Army 66th Division football team that played throughout Europe and went on to win the military ETO championship. He returned to the U.S. and spent 32 years in the consumer finance business with Seaboard/Avco Finance as an AVP supervising branch offices in 14 states. He then worked another 10 years as Senior VP of Marketing of Lenders Services/Prudential Insurance until retirement in 1986. John is survived by his loving wife of 65 years, Elaine (Johnson) Pok; children, Jan (Mark) Knouff, Scott (Pam) Pok, Jack (Karen) Pok, Nancy (Dean) Knisley; grandchildren, Andrea and A.J. Knouff, Steffi, Margo and Lindy Pok, Hillary and Austin Knisley. Family will receive friends 4-7 p.m. Friday, July 19, 2013 at RUTHERFORD-CORBIN FUNERAL HOME, 515 High Street, Worthington. Funeral Service will be held 10 a.m. Saturday, at All Saints Lutheran Church, 6770 N. High Street, Worthington. Interment will follow at Flint Cemetery with military honors. Many thanks to the staffs at The Laurels and Kobacker House for their compassionate and loving care. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in John's memory may be made to the Salvation Army, 966 E. Main Street, Columbus, OH 43215 or Kobacker House/HomeReach Hospice, 180 E. Broad Street, 31st Floor, Columbus, OH 43215. Messages of condolence may be sent to the family at www.rutherfordfuneralhome.com