Lt. Col. John Richard Nowak

LIEUTENANT COLONEL JOHN RICHARD NOWAK, RETIRED

John Richard Nowak, 78, of Crofton, Kentucky and formerly Fairview, Kentucky died at 1:09 p.m., Friday, December 19, 2025 at Jennie Stuart Medical Center in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.

Memorial services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, December 23, 2025 at Crofton Baptist Church with Rev. Jim Gifford officiating. Visitation will also be on Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. until the service hour at Crofton Baptist Church. Graveside services with military honors will be held on Tuesday, December 30, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. at Kentucky Veterans Cemetery West in Hopkinsville. Dogwood Funerals & Cremations of Crofton is in charge of arrangements.

A native of White Plains, New York he was born on March 22, 1947 the son of the late Otto John Nowak and Sarah Eller Nowak. He was also preceded in death by his son, Troy Stamps and a brother, Eugene Nowak.

He retired from the United States Army after over 20 years of service. He was the owner and operator of Kentucky Hay Exchange, a graduate of Colorado State University, a member of the Pembroke Ruritan and Pembroke Baptist Church.

Survivors include his former wife and primary caregiver: Agatha Nowak of Crofton; his sons, David Nowak of Cincinnati, Ohio, Stephen (Lianne) Nowak of Cincinnati, Ohio, J.R. (Bobbie Jo) Nowak of Crofton, Kentucky and Heath Stamps of Hopkinsville, Kentucky; his daughters, Lindsey (Kenny) Crosby of Crofton, Kentucky and Parrish (Kelly) Manning of Maysville, Kentucky; his brother, Mark Nowak of Maine and his sister, Barbara (Doug) Morton of New York. Nineteen grandchildren.

Memorials may take the form of donations to Gideons International.