John Reliford

John Reliford, born on August 25, 1936, passed away peacefully at the age of 88 on March 1, 2025, in Lenexa, Kansas, due to complications from Influenza and a difficult battle with Alzheimer's.

John grew up in the Kansas City area and was a proud graduate of Southwest High School (Kansas City, MO) and member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity at University of Missouri where he created lifelong memories that he proudly retold throughout his lifetime.

John met the love of his life, Judy, in Wichita, Kansas when they were both working there and living in the same apartment complex. Not long after they married, John and Judy started their adventures moving around the country following his growing career and advancements with Honeywell. John spent 30 years at Honeywell and retired as a Product Manager for the Industrial Division. After retiring from Honeywell, he continued to share his expertise as a consultant for Lesman Instruments for an additional six years. His career achievements were numerous, including being honored as Salesman of the Year at Honeywell.

A man of diverse interests, John was an avid golfer, a passionate history buff, and an astute stock market investor. His love of golf resulted in a fabulous retirement to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, where John and Judy built their dream home on the marsh and made amazing friends in their golf and tennis community of Moss Creek. John and Judy were able to travel the world through his work and vacations, and cherished those memories and experiences. As John aged, there was nothing he enjoyed more than going on a nice walk with his dog, Journey, and visiting with everyone and anyone that he met on these outings.

John always enjoyed a nice glass of Johnny Walker on ice at the end of the day, visiting with friends and family and telling the occasional joke, eating some of the best hot meals that anyone could enjoy prepared lovingly by his wife, and telling his grandkids about some of his antics growing up. John was extremely supportive of his daughters’ dreams and ambitions and always found a way to support them in every way possible.

John is preceded in death by his beloved parents, Edward and Irma Reliford. He leaves behind a loving family, including his devoted wife, Judy, and his two cherished daughters, Janette Ferraro including her husband, David, and children Joseph and Jacob, and Julie Formwalt including her husband, Lance and children Megan and Luke. John also leaves behind his sister, Carol Synder, and her children Paul, Allen and Brian and their families.