Obit: Hancock, John (1893 - 1979)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Hancock, Austin, Joslin, Kjolvik, Havnik, Kennedy, Nace

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 2/15/1979

Hancock, John (10 December 1893 – 26 January 1979)

John Hancock, 85, of Belfield, N.D., formerly of Jackson County, died January 26, at his home. He was born to John and Eva (Austin) Hancock. He attended schools in Pray and Black River Falls. At age 15, he went to work on a cranberry marsh and then worked in logging camps near Pray and for the Virginia and Rainey Lake Lumber Company in Minn. Following his father’s death in 1927, he returned to Pray to operate the family dairy farm.

In 1945, he married Cora Bell Joslin Kjolvik in Minneapolis and in 1952 the couple moved to Belfield, where they became co-owners and operators with Dorothy and Lou Havnik of the Parkway Motel. The Hancock’s retired in 1971.

Survivors include his wife; one son, Gordon of Las Vegas, Nev.; two brothers, Clinton of Merrillan and Donald of Minneapolis; two sisters, Dorothy Havnik of Bellfield, N.D., and Jenny Kennedy of Longview, Wash.; and three granddaughters. He was preceded in death by two brothers and one sister.

Services were held January 29 from the First United Presbyterian Church in Belfield with the Rev. Theo. Nace officiating. Burial was in the Lutheran Cemetery at Belfield. The Tweeten Funeral Home at Dickinson, N.D., was in charge of the arrangements.