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John H. Kok Jr.

  Beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and uncle, John H. Kok, Jr., died at his home in Lincoln (Placer County), on Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012, five days short of his birthday. Private services to celebrate John’s life were held on what would have been his 83rd birthday, Jan. 31.

  John was born in Lynden, Wash., to John and Jenny (Haveman) Kok, on Jan. 31, 1929, where he spent his formative years on the family dairy farm.

  John met the love of his life, Elsie Paauw, of Vancouver, B.C. Canada, in 1947 and they married in 1950. He attended Western Washington University and spent the majority of his professional life as a mortician and funeral director which allowed John to share his great compassion with those he served.

  Along with his sister and brother-in-law, Marge and Jerry De Jong, John opened Colton Funeral Chapel in 1960.

  In 1971, John switched gears and moved his family to Sonoma and opened Western Auto. He later acquired Franklin Furniture, and along with Elsie, operated the business until his retirement in 1982. Throughout his working life John shared his talents with many civic organizations in both Colton and Sonoma. John and Elsie remained in Sonoma until 2005 when they moved to Lincoln.

  John’s greatest pleasure was spending time with his family. One of his greatest achievements was his 61-year marriage to Elsie.

  John is survived by his wife, Elsie; and their children, Esther and Curtis Frolich, of Vallejo, Beverly and Dean Davis, of Windsor, and John and Deborah Kok, of Auburn. John’s dedication to family included his great love for his grandchildren, Richard and Sarah Rigney, Tina Rigney, Julie Davis and Eunoto Doswell, Joni Davis and Gregory Plumb, Dean Davis Jr. and Kristina Gomez, Jennifer Kok Neimeyer and Andrew Neimeyer and John H. Kok IV. John’s legacy of love included his great-grandchildren, Richard Rigney, Katie Rigney and Dakari Doswell and expected-soon Shani Doswell. He also enjoyed his special relationship with his nephew and niece, Dean and Barbara Cochran, of Lincoln.

  John was a devoted Christian who walked the walk. He never missed an opportunity to make a new friend and John had many. He believed that strangers were just friends he had not yet met. He will be sorely missed by all who loved him and we are comforted with the knowledge that John is now home with the Lord whom he faithfully served throughout his life.

  John’s final resting place will be in Napa.