John B. Platt, Jr.

John B. Platt, Jr. died at home, peacefully on September 25, 2017. A Memorial Service will be at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, October 7th at Grace & Holy Trinity Cathedral, 415 W. 13th Street, Kansas City, MO. A reception will follow at the familys home from 1:00 p.m. through the evening. In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorial contributions to Rotary Club #13, P.O. Box 412475, KCMO 64141, The Heritage Foundation, 214 Massachusetts Ave NE, Washington D.C. 20002, and Grace & Holy Trinity Cathedral.
John was born on May 9, 1923 in Warren, OH to John Bowman Platt and Sarah Hayes Platt. They migrated to Sterling, IL where John attended elementary and high school. Then on to Northwestern University, where he was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on April 15, 1943 where he served as 1st Lt. (Electronics Officer) for the 422nd Bomb Squad and 305th Bomb Group until 1946, when he returned to Northwestern University, where he received his BS in Electrical Engineering. John joined the family office systems and equipment business, Platt & Associates, Inc., serving Eastern Iowa and Northwestern Illinois until the business was sold in 1981. As a Reagan Republican, John accepted an appointment as Regional Administrator, Heartland Region, for the U.S. General Services Administration in Kansas City, in January of 1982, where he served until his retirement in 1989. John was an Eagle Scout, a life member of the VFW and Sons of the American Revolution, a member of Rotary Club #13, Rock Island, IL Rotary Club, Board of Regents of Rockhurst University and served three 2 year terms on the Board of Directors for Eastern Iowa Community College.
John loved people and it was reciprocal. He loved his country, gadgets, and using his vocabulary in unusual ways; our home was his fiefdom, our family a herd and his self-proclaimed nickname was Mr. Maj. for majestic. He was a fun-loving gentle gentleman who reached out to people with advice, care and affection.
John married Joe-Ann Sowder on June 15, 1952, and they raised their family in Davenport, Iowa. After Joe-Anns death in 1988, John married Shirley Gangel Dreiling, bringing into his family five additional children. John is survived by his wife, Shirley, children Jo-Ellyn Elliott (Douglas), Joseph Platt (Julieann Smith), Kathy Herbert, Carrie Williams, Margie Studenny and Michael Dreiling; 20 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Joe-Ann; his parents; daughters, Judy Collins and Janett Saxon; sons, Jeb Platt and Bobby Dreiling; and grandsons, Jeffrey Williams and Dan Herbert. Special thanks to Asana Hospice and children, Michael and Kathy, for their exceptional care of John. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.MuehlebachChapel.com.
John B. Platt, Jr. died at home, peacefully on September 25, 2017. A Memorial Service will be at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, October 7th at Grace & Holy Trinity Cathedral, 415 W. 13th Street, Kansas City, MO. A reception will follow at the familys home from 1:00 p.m. through the evening. In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorial contributions to Rotary Club #13, P.O. Box 412475, KCMO 64141, The Heritage Foundation, 214 Massachusetts Ave NE, Washington D.C. 20002, and Grace & Holy Trinity Cathedral.
John was born on May 9, 1923 in Warren, OH to John Bowman Platt and Sarah Hayes Platt. They migrated to Sterling, IL where John attended elementary and high school. Then on to Northwestern University, where he was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on April 15, 1943 where he served as 1st Lt. (Electronics Officer) for the 422nd Bomb Squad and 305th Bomb Group until 1946, when he returned to Northwestern University, where he received his BS in Electrical Engineering. John joined the family office systems and equipment business, Platt & Associates, Inc., serving Eastern Iowa and Northwestern Illinois until the business was sold in 1981. As a Reagan Republican, John accepted an appointment as Regional Administrator, Heartland Region, for the U.S. General Services Administration in Kansas City, in January of 1982, where he served until his retirement in 1989. John was an Eagle Scout, a life member of the VFW and Sons of the American Revolution, a member of Rotary Club #13, Rock Island, IL Rotary Club, Board of Regents of Rockhurst University and served three 2 year terms on the Board of Directors for Eastern Iowa Community College.
John loved people and it was reciprocal. He loved his country, gadgets, and using his vocabulary in unusual ways; our home was his fiefdom, our family a herd and his self-proclaimed nickname was Mr. Maj. for majestic. He was a fun-loving gentle gentleman who reached out to people with advice, care and affection.
John married Joe-Ann Sowder on June 15, 1952, and they raised their family in Davenport, Iowa. After Joe-Anns death in 1988, John married Shirley Gangel Dreiling, bringing into his family five additional children. John is survived by his wife, Shirley, children Jo-Ellyn Elliott (Douglas), Joseph Platt (Julieann Smith), Kathy Herbert, Carrie Williams, Margie Studenny and Michael Dreiling; 20 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Joe-Ann; his parents; daughters, Judy Collins and Janett Saxon; sons, Jeb Platt and Bobby Dreiling; and grandsons, Jeffrey Williams and Dan Herbert. Special thanks to Asana Hospice and children, Michael and Kathy, for their exceptional care of John. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.MuehlebachChapel.com.

SERVICES Memorial Service
Saturday, October 7, 2017 10:00 AM
Grace & Holy Trinity Cathedral 415 West 13th Street Kansas City, Missouri 64105