DR. JESS WILLARD KOONS

DR. JESS WILLARD KOONS Dr. Jess Willard Koons, 95, of Liberal passed away on Friday, June, 2023 at his home. Jess was born at home two miles northwest of Sedan, Kansas December 29, 1927. His parents were Arthur and Laura Bell Henson Koons. He graduated from Sedan High School in 1946. He then served in the Army of the Occupation in Korea between 1946 - 47. Following that, he attended and graduated in 1951 with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Ottawa University in Ottawa, Kansas. While attending Ottawa, he met Eva Lou Manker, and they were married on December 22, 1951 by her father, a Baptist minister. They had two children, Dan and Jane. He taught high school math and science in Greeley, Kansas between 1951 - 53. He then went to the University of Kansas School of Medicine and graduated in 1957 with a Doctor of Medicine degree. After a year internship at Wesley Hospital, Wichita, Kansas, he and the family moved to Liberal in 1958 where he practiced general medicine for five years and was on the staff at Epworth Hospital. The family the moved in 1963 to Denver, Colorado for three years for a residency in ophthalmology. Following the completion of his residency, the family returned to Liberal in 1966, and he practiced as a Board-Certified Eye Specialist for thirty-one years, retiring in 1997. He served on all the medical staff positions and for seven years on the county hospital board of trustees. He was a long-time member of First Baptist Church. He was a charter member of the Southwest Medical Center Foundation, troop Doctor for the Boy Scouts, and was also a long time active member of the Liberal Rotary Club. Jess regularly attended the men's prayer breakfast for over 40 years. His interests included old clocks, Hereford cattle, and 8N Ford tractors. He is survived by his wife Eva Lou, son Dan (Susan) Koons, daughter Jane (Joel) Stevenor of Utica, Illinois, grandson Christopher (Alicia) Koons, granddaughter Rachael Sherwood (Dan Allison), and great-grandson Atticus Allison of Shoreline, Washington. He was preceded in death by his parents, seven brothers, and three sisters. The family would like to thank St. Catherine Hospice for all their love, support, and care. A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00am on Monday, July 10th at the First United Methodist Church of Liberal. Graveside Committal will be 9:30am on Wednesday, July 12th at Restlawn Memorial Gardens Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the First United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 916, Liberal, KS 67905 and Southwest Medical Center Foundation, Gift Processing Lockbox #1094, P.O. Box 35146, Seattle, WA 98124-5146. Friends may send condolences to the family through Jess' tribute web page at millermortuary.net