John Julian Pyatt, 64, passed away on Sunday, December 11, 2022 in Omaha, Nebraska.
He was born September 25, 1958 in Santa Fe, New Mexico to Robert and LaVaughn (Elliott) Pyatt. His childhood was spent in Santa Fe and Hobbs, New Mexico. His family moved back to their family home in Trenton, Missouri, and then finally to Chillicothe, Missouri, where John graduated from Chillicothe High School in 1976. During his high school years, he participated in Band by playing the trombone, a talent he utilized throughout his life in various musical groups. He was an enthusiastic and active member of the Boy Scouts of America, attaining the rank and honor of Eagle Scout.
After graduating from high school, John attended North Central Missouri College and graduated with an associate degree in Agricultural Business in 1978. He then worked for Churchill Transportation in Chillicothe before hiring on with the Burlington Northern Railroad in Creston, Iowa in the signal department in 1979. His deep desire to be a train conductor led him to Alliance, Nebraska in late 1979, where he became a conductor and remained in that position until an unfortunate heart condition forced him off of train service in 2015. He then worked as a railyard communications specialist until his retirement in 2018.
In January 1980, John began dating Janelle Jo Meade and the two were united in marriage on October 26, 1980. On October 1, 1989, John and Janelle’s only child, a son named James, was born. John was a devoted family man who loved spending time with Janelle and James, especially when he and his family would take their annual family vacations. John was also an avid cyclist and participated in RAGBRAI (Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa) in 2005 and the Mickelson Trail Trek in the Black Hills of South Dakota in 2010.
Along with his enthusiasm and talent for playing the trombone, John also had a magnificent singing voice and was involved in church choirs and the Alliance Community Choir, an activity that he shared with his son James on multiple occasions. But John’s main area of interest and expertise was railroads and the “art of railroading,” as he called it. From a young age, he would wake up early and ride his bike to his favorite train viewing spot and watch the Southwest Chief (a daily passenger train) come by.
As previously stated, John was forced off of train service because of a heart condition called HCM (Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy), with which he was diagnosed in 2015. This heart condition continued to escalate into his retirement, which culminated in a heart transplant in December 2020. His transplant was a success, thanks to the team at Mayo Clinic Phoenix. John was able to enjoy his new lease on life for a while; however, in May 2022, he was diagnosed with stage four esophageal cancer. He received treatment at Nebraska Medicine in Omaha.
He is survived by his wife, Janelle, his son, James of Alliance; his mother-in-law, Darlene Meade of Auburn, Nebraska; his brother-in-law Jeffrey Meade and sister-in-law, Shannon Stemm of Auburn; niece, Madison Meade of Chicago, IL; and brother-in-law, Andrew Meade of Auburn.
He was preceded in death by his parents, and his father-in-law, Roy Meade of Alliance.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday, December 20, 2022, at 10:30 a.m. at the United Methodist Church. Pastor Gideon Achi will officiate. Burial will be in the Alliance Cemetery. Visitation will be held Monday, December 19, 2022 from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the funeral home with the family present to greet friends from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Memorials may be given to: Help In Healing Home, Development Office, 5811 E Mayo Blvd., Phoenix, AZ 85054-4503, in memory of John Pyatt.
Online condolences may be left at www.batesgould.com