Jack Bennett Page

J. B. Page May 6, 1925 – April 15, 2006 Jack Bennett “J.B.” Page, 80, of Waco passed away Saturday April 15, 2006, at a local hospital. A visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m. Monday April 17, 2006, at Wilkerson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home in Waco, 6101 Bosque Boulevard. Services will be held on Tuesday April 18, 2006 at 10 a.m. at First United Methodist Church of Waco, 4901 Cobbs Drive, with the Reverend Wayne Williams and Reverend Mark Welshimer officiating. Burial will follow services at Bosqueville Cemetery in Bosqueville, Texas. J.B. Page was born on May 6, 1925, between Power’s Chapel and Pleasant Grove, Texas, to Viola Marion Griffin and Homer C. Page. After attending grade school in Powers Chapel, he attended Rosebud High School where he quickly joined the football team and became a co-captain, despite never having seen a football before coming to Rosebud. On May 20th 1943, three days after graduating from Rosebud High School, he married Mary Elizabeth “Nancy” Cobbs in the Methodist Church Parsonage. J.B. and Nancy continued to live in Rosebud, until he joined the U.S. Navy in September of that year. In the Navy, he was stationed at San Diego and Port Chicago and served with the Naval Armed Guard on the merchant ship S.S. Flying Mist in the Pacific. He was honorably discharged in 1946, and then he and Nancy returned to Central Texas. After returning to Central Texas, J.B worked as an electrician and a painter. In 1954, he began working for Dyer Painting Company. Because of his strong work ethic, integrity, and the high quality of his work, he quickly became an estimator and superintendent and then partner. It was through his work that he developed lasting relationships with his employees, co-workers, other contractors, and customers throughout the community. Although he put his hard work into many buildings across Waco, his greatest pride was supervising the painting of the Washington Avenue Bridge in 1960. He retired from Dyer Painting Company in 1988. Although his work was very important to him, he made time for his family, to serve others, and to enjoy outdoor activities and gardening. He served others in many ways as a member of Bosqueville United Methodist Church, Brookview United Methodist Church, Central United Methodist Church, and First United Methodist Church, along with his commitment to the Boy Scout Program. He served as Scoutmaster, camp commissioner, council commissioner, and executive board member, as well as in many other ways serving the Heart of Texas Council of the Boy Scouts of America. In 1993, he was recognized for his contribution and service to youth, as he was presented the Silver Beaver Award. The United Methodist Church presented him the God and Service Award in 1995. When he was not working or serving the community, he enjoyed his family, hunting, fishing, camping, and gardening. He was very proud of his tomatoes and loved sharing them with family and friends. He always had a project he was working on, whether he was building birdhouses or maintaining and improving his home in which, like his work, he took great pride. Because his family was so important to him, J.B worked hard to provide for his family. Whether he was making a living, serving at church, being a leader in scouting, or enjoying the outdoors, he wanted to involve his family. To all who knew him, and especially to his family, he was a great example of integrity, loyalty, hard work, service to others, and family, which he valued most of all throughout his life. Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Nancy; his son, Randy Page and his wife, Shirley Page, of Waco; his daughter, Cari Nan Speer and her husband, Doug Speer, of Janesville, Wisconsin; five grandchildren, Christie Page, Sara Page, Staci Page Speer, Jay Milton Speer, and Mandi Beth Speer; and many loving family and friends. Pallbearers will be Jim Bush, Dennis Clark, Jerry Dyer, Randy Dyer, Mark Glunz, Dalton James, Jim Johnson, Marc Johnson, Doug Speer, and Jay Speer. Honorary pallbearers will be the nurses on Hillcrest 4A and all his special friends. Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church of Waco, 4901 Cobbs Drive, Waco, Texas, 76710; and The Longhorn Council of the Boy Scouts of America, 300 Lake Air Drive, Waco, Texas, 76710, for Camp Tahauya improvements. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our “Memorial Guestbook” at www.wilkirsonhatchbailey.com Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey