John Moritz

John Gary Moritz, son of the late George and Mary (Stecker) Moritz, was born June 3, 1943, in Buckhart, Missouri, and passed away February 23, 2025, at Cox Health in Springfield, Missouri, at 81 years of age.

John was raised in Buckhart near Dora and graduated from Dora High School in 1961, where he enjoyed playing basketball and participating in school plays.

After high school, John went to work at Brown Shoe Company in Mountain Grove where he met his bride-to-be, Wanda Gaddis. They were married April 9, 1965, at Wanda’s childhood home in Bendavis, Missouri. Three girls were born to this union, Britia, Kim, and Sherry. Later, John worked for and retired from Dairy Farmers of America where he worked as a Lab Technician.

John and Wanda raised their family in Mountain Grove. He enjoyed taking his family camping, spending most summer weekends at the lake or on the river. After the girls were grown, he and Wanda enjoyed traveling the United States, minus the camping, and added a trip to Canada where a waitress, upon learning he was from Missouri, called him a Hillbilly. John met new people wherever he went. He never shied away from starting up a conversation and throwing in a joke or two. He was also not above playing tricks on others or saying something ornery just to see other’s reactions. His two brothers were very much like him. They had a great time getting together and swapping stories. As a couple, John and Wanda enjoyed country music and going to Oldfield Opry for local music and comedy most every Saturday night.

He was also very serious about lawn maintenance and spent a lot of time making sure his yard was “just so.” When he wasn’t working in his yard, he could be found watching westerns, taking walks practically every day of the week or keeping up with whatever his neighbors were up to. He may have been given the title of “Neighborhood Informant” at one time.

John just loved people and some of his favorite people were his family, especially his grandchildren. They held a special place in his heart, and he cherished every moment he spent with them.

Besides his parents, John was preceded in death by one sister, Susie Lawson and her husband, Dale, one brother, Francis Moritz and his wife, LeVelle, and by a brother-in-law, Orvid Gaddis and his wife, Chloe.

He is survived by his wife of almost 60 years, Wanda Moritz, his three girls, Britia Bradshaw and her husband, Jerry of Springfield, Missouri, Kim Moritz of Nixa, Missouri, and Sherry Wiles and her husband, Rodney of Willow Springs, Missouri, three grandchildren, Jacob Wiles and his wife, Kylie, Kailey Bradshaw, and Emma Wiles, one brother, Phillip Moritz and his wife, Linda of Ashland, Missouri, and many other relatives, neighbors, and friends who will miss him and his fun-loving zest for life.