WICHITA – John Eldon Zook, 72, passed away June 6, 2020 at his home in Wichita. He was born Sept. 24, 1947 in Garden City to Milford and Bernice Zook.
John spent his freshman season at Zook High School where he played eight-man football. Upon transferring to Larned, John was a Kansas All-State athlete in football, basketball, and track, respectively.
He attended the University of Kansas on a football scholarship. John was a two-time Big 8 selection as a defensive end. His senior year he was named team captain and earned First-Team All-American honors as a defensive end. Over the course of his KU career, John compiled 202 career tackles, fourth overall in school history. John is one of only fifteen players in the University of Kansas Football Ring of Honor.
Following his outstanding collegiate career, John played seven years for the Atlanta Falcons and four years for the St. Louis Cardinals. While in Atlanta, he recorded the first ever safety in the team’s history in 1971; was selected to play in the 1973 NFC Pro Bowl team; and never missed a game in all seven seasons as an Atlanta Falcon. He played in a total of 144 professional games before retiring in 1979.
John was inducted into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.
Over his lifetime, John donated over 16 gallons of blood to American Red Cross. John was an avid outdoorsman. He spent many days afield with his brothers and nephews, hunting and fishing. John also enjoyed skydiving until his main parachute failed to open. Other hobbies included, attending as many KU and Atlanta Falcon games as he could. John also returned yearly to help his brother’s harvest. John often brought his mother roses that he grew in his garden. He loved being a big brother and an uncle to his nieces and nephews. He enjoyed being called Uncle John.
He is survived by his brothers, Jim (Jane) Zook, Dean Zook, and Dale (Beth) Zook, three nephews, Denny Zook, Jesse Zook, and Aaron (Roxi) Zook, seven nieces; Jacqueline (Rusty) Turner, Amy (Jay) Derley, Stacy (Michael) Trout, Holly (Stephen) Milligan, Deanne (Dave) Lock, Carolyn (Jacob) Robison, Kelsey (Jason) Lueger, and 15 great-nieces and nephews.
John’s funeral service will be held at Beckwith Mortuary Chapel, Larned, Wednesday, June 10, 2020 at 10:30 a.m. with Pastor Bill Stapleton presiding. Public live stream via Facebook at www.facebook.com/beckwithmortuary.
There will be a public viewing on Tuesday June 9, 2020 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Beckwith Mortuary, Larned, with the family present from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Burial will take place at Pleasant Valley Cemetery, Zook, after the service.
