John E. Patch, 86, of Topeka, KS, passed away Friday, October 27, 2023 at The Gardens at Aldersgate Village in Topeka. He was born May 24, 1937 to Alva and Virgie (Merritt) Bloom Patch of Goff, KS. He was the little brother of Katherine (Patch) Savage, Evelyn (Patch) Hittle, Betty (Patch) Huss, Jimmy Patch and the little-step-brother of Irvin Bloom and Loren “Bud” Bloom.

John graduated from Wetmore High School in May 1955 and joined the United States Army in November of 1955. He was stationed in Germany and Texas. When he left the military in December of 1960, he went to work at Allis-Chalmers as a welder and cutting machine operator foreman. He earned his welding certificate in 1963 from Vo-Tech in Topeka. In 1979, John went to work at Jeffrey Energy Center as a millwright mechanic until his retirement in 1999.

John met his first wife, Eileen Zibell, in Topeka where they lived in neighboring apartments. They were married in Topeka, KS on October 14, 1961. They lived on a farm southeast of Goff. John and Eileen had seven children.

Eileen passed away unexpectedly on October 1, 1998. John reconnected with Nancy Durham, who was an old family friend. John and Nancy married on February 12, 2000 in her hometown of Liberty, KY and they lived there until 2015 when they returned to Topeka. They enjoyed a good marriage and they had a lot of fun together.

John always liked motorcycles; however, he fell in love with Harley Davidson bikes when he borrowed his son Trav- in 1987. He bought his own and together with Nancy they rode through 47 states and into Canada. They went to Sturgis several times and they are life members of the Topeka Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.). John and Nancy enjoyed riding over 200,000 miles together on their HD bike and trike. They made wonderful memories as they traveled with friends and family and enjoyed spending their winters in Parr, TX.

John was a member of the American Legion Post 400, the International Association of Machinist and Master Mason with the Circleville Masonic Lodge. John and Nancy attended the Town and Country Christian Church in Topeka, the Mount Olive Christian Church in Liberty, KY and he was baptized as a child in the Wetmore Bible Church.

John was preceded in death by his first wife, Eileen; infant son, Thane; siblings, Katherine, Evelyn, Jimmy, Irvin and Loren “Bud”.

He is survived by his wife, Nancy of the home; his children, Travis Patch (Carrie) of Holton, KS, Tim Patch (Kristi) of Topeka, KS, Troy Patch (Shelby) of Lawrence, KS, Lois Alford (Greg) of Topeka, KS, Lisa DeVader of Holton, KS and Lori Smith (Tony) of Topeka, KS; 17 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren and his sister, Betty Huss of Topeka, KS.

Funeral Service with Military Honors will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday, November 2, 2023 at the Mercer Funeral Home in Holton. Family will greet friends from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Wednesday evening. Burial will be at a later date at Holton Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Wetmore Bible Church c/o Mercer Funeral Home, P.O. Box 270, Holton, KS 66436. To leave a special message for the family, please visit www.mercerfuneralhomes.com.