John Joseph Blanchat

John Joseph Blanchat of Overland Park, Kansas passed away peacefully Saturday, August 13th, 2022 with his wife Pat by his side. He was born September 11, 1936 in Wichita Kansas where he was raised, attended Wichita State University and later met his future wife Patricia McKnight. They were married 60 years ago on June 2, 1962 then moved to St. Louis where John took a job with the Social Security Administration and attended Law School by night.

By 1965, he had two daughters, Jenny born in ‘63 and Julie born in ‘65. He was offered a position at the SSA in Kansas City which he gladly took so that he could finish his Law Degree at UMKC. John once mentioned that he never intended to be a lawyer but felt the Law Degree would help him secure a good job. He passed the Bar and his strategy worked as he was soon employed by First National Bank of Kansas City in their Trust Department. This was also fortuitous since he and Pat welcomed twins, Jeff and Joanne in ‘67. With four children under the age of four, John and Pat quickly outgrew their little home in Prairie Village. They moved to Overland Park to raise their family which eventually grew again when their son Jim was born in 1974.

Along the way John and Pat developed a passion for antiques and began attending auctions to expand their collections. John’s career led him to a management position in Human Resources when he was hired by North Supply (now owned by Sprint) but found the desire to turn his Antiques hobby into a business that he could enjoy. So in 1986, John and Pat moved to an old farm in southern Johnson County where they could run their antique business The Eclectic Co. He “retired” in 1990 and became self-employed, living his dream of being an antique dealer…a career move that brought him much joy, as well as many new friends and adventures.

His children all added to his legacy by adding 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. John loved nothing more than having his house full of family and wrangling everyone into hours-long Pitch Tournaments. He was a voracious reader, an avid Bridge player and, although would never admit it, a huge KU Basketball fan. He was a man of few words but had an eloquent vocabulary; a penchant for privacy but a way of listening that conveyed how much he cared; he eschewed attention but loved a good celebration.

On Friday, August 19th we will indeed celebrate this loved man. Visitation from 10:30-11:30 a.m. with a funeral service to immediately follow at Amos Funeral Home in Shawnee, Kansas. Burial following the funeral service at Pleasant Valley Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please feel free to make donations to the Overland Park Arboretum or Head for the Cure in his honor.