John Sechrest

John "Jack" Sechrest, 91, of Oswego, IL, passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family on Tuesday, February 24, 2026.

Jack leaves behind his loving wife of 22 years, Paralee "Perry" Perkins; two sons, John (Martha Chamberlin) and James Sechrest; grandchildren, Yves and Tam; great granddaughter, Anna; nieces, Nan (Leroy) Jones, Joan and Janice Perkins and Jill Hare; nephew, Bob (Hollie) Barkley; special friend, Laurel Brick and her granddaughter, Evelyn; long time caregiver, LaCheryl Travis and his faithful dog, Murphy.

Jack is preceded in death by his parents, John and Malinda Sechrest; infant son, Joseph Sechrest and first wife, Margaret "Peg" Sechrest.

Jack was a strong man who enjoyed many physical activities including roller skating, ballroom dancing and canoeing the Boundary Waters in the Minnesota wilderness. Some of these activities he still enjoyed into his 80's.

Jack was an extremely intelligent man who taught history and humanities for the Oswego School District 308 for over 30 years, from which he retired in 1994. He believed deeply in the value of education and took pride in helping young people grow into thoughtful and capable adults. Not only was he influential in his teaching but he was also very active in many political aspects He was very proud of the fact that he was chief negotiator for the first teachers' contract in Oswego. He co-founded the Prairie State Humanist Organization in 1999, was a precinct committee man for many years and was a member of several educational associations. Jack was a devoted member of the DuPage Unitarian Universalist Church in Naperville.

Along with his many political and educational roles, Jack was an outgoing man who made many friends throughout his life. He relished hosting parties to which he could invite all his friends and share his favorite beverage, red wine, with them. He was an exceptionally charitable man who gave to many different organizations. As a wildlife enthusiast, many of the organizations were centered around nature. Jack also had a strong love for animals and was always known to have a dog companion in his life, the most recent being Murphy, who will surely miss Jack as much as anyone else.

Family will be receiving guests on Sunday, March 1, 2025 from 3:00pm until 7:00pm at Dieterle Memorial Home, 1120 South Broadway, Montgomery, IL 60538.

A memorial service will take place at a later date to be determined.