Rev. John Joseph Hembry

Rev. John J. Hembry, 77, of Fort Dodge, Iowa, crossed over to the other side on Monday, June 7, 2021 at the Paula J. Baber Hospice Home in Fort Dodge.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, June 11, 2021, at the United Methodist Church in Dayton, Iowa. Pastors Craig Vote & Kay. Christie will officiate. Immediately following the service, Military Rites will be conducted by the Peterson American Legion Post #323. Visitation will be Thursday, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., also at the United Methodist Church. Following services John will be cremated. Burial will be 3:30 p.m., Saturday, June 12, 2021, at the Decatur City Cemetery in Decatur City, Iowa.

John Joseph Hembry was the fourth born child of Homer William and Merlin Josephine (Boord) Hembry. He was born at the Decatur County Hospital in Leon, Iowa on September 7, 1943. John attended one room schoolhouses in Woodmansee and Centennial in Decatur County through eighth grade. He graduated from high school in Leon, Iowa and then attended 2 years at Northwest Missouri State College in Maryville, Missouri.

On December 22, 1964, John was united in marriage to Judy Carol Hethcote in Des Moines, Iowa. To this union, three children were born: Suzanne Marie, John James, and Mary Elizabeth.

John had joined the Army security Agency in June of 1964, and the couple first made their home near Kassel, Germany. He received an honorable discharge in August of 1970, and worked with his uncle Ed on Ed’s cattle farm. John and Judy received a calling to serve our risen Lord fulltime in ministry to others. In June of 1978, John received an appointment in the United Methodist Church to pastor churches in Rowley and Walker, Iowa. The couple also pastored churches in Woolstock, Vincent, Duncombe, Lime Springs, Chester, Dayton, Harcourt, and Sigourney, Iowa, until retiring in 2012. Later they served the Epworth congregation in Fort Dodge while in retirement. After Judy’s passing, John served Trinity United Methodist in Fort Dodge as Interim Pastor.

Family was very important to John. He was a faithful husband and a loving father, grandfather and great-grandfather.

In addition to his parents, John was also preceded in death by his loving wife of over 50 years, Judy Hembry, his sister, Betty Hembry and brother-in-law, Ronald Norman.

Survivors include his children, Suzanne (Chad) Foster of Webster City, John (Kim) Hembry of Arizona, and Mary (Brad) Eslick of Dayton; 9 grandchildren, Sarah (Dustin) Elliott, Abby (Eldon) Hoopes, Andrew, Alexa, and Austin Hembry, Daniel, Nick, Michael, and Lauren Eslick; four great-grandchildren, Ethan, Aubree and Bennett Elliott and Oliver Hoopes; two sisters, Helen Norman, and Joyce (Mike) Findley; two brothers, Marvin (Ann) Hembry, and David (Paula) Hembry; and by many other family members and friends.