John Kane

ARNOLD MOORE & NEEKAMP FUNERAL HOME, BARTLESVILLE, OK - John F. Kane, age 80, and longtime resident of Bartlesville, Oklahoma, passed away on Sunday, March 22, in the Jane Phillips Medical Center. John Foster Kane was born 15 September 1934, the first child of young Navy officer John Miller Kane and his wife, Marie Foster Kane, while they were stationed in New York City. A few years later, in 1939, his brother Henry Foster Kane was born in Chicago. Despite these cosmopolitan credits, John F. Kane was a truly a man of deep Bartlesville roots. After his military service, John M. Kane and Marie returned to their hometown with their boys. John and Henry were smart, active little boys. John was a ornery, imaginative kid, and there are some hilarious childhood stories. John attended Bartlesville schools: McKinley and Garfield, and Central Junior High School. In high school he was an honors student and active in sports. He was a fine golfer on the College High team. He graduated from College High School in 1952. He grew up around family ranching interests here and in Kansas. The teenager was a nascent cattleman. As a teenager he took up the cowboy guitar. He had the family gift of the bard: he knew every verse to every cowboy song you could think of and simply loved to play and sing at parties and gatherings. Following family tradition, John went off to attend the University of Kansas in the fall of 1952. He pledged Beta Theta Pi, another family tradition. At KU, John was an honors student, receiving the Magnolia Petroleum Company Scholarship in 1955, Sigma Tau Engineering Honor Society, and Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society. And following in his father's footsteps he did NROTC. He graduated with a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering in 1956. John began his military service immediately after graduation. He was Lt. JG aboard the USS Kermit Roosevelt (ARG-16) 1956-1958, stationed at San Francisco and Long Beach, CA. He subsequently served as Lt. USNR, 1960-1969. Of course, it was while John was at KU that he met a pretty little Pi Phi named Elizabeth (Burke) who captured his heart. She was at a party at the Beta house with a German exchange student who was living at the house, and it was there she met John. He asked her out the next week. Betty says it really was love at first sight. But John was graduating, and Betty was a sophomore. He was off to the Navy and she had more school. Eventually the two were pining so much that they decided to defer Betty's graduation. They were married in Kansas City 16 February 1957, and Betty and John lived in Long Beach where Laura was born. After the Navy, they returned to Bartlesville for only a summer, then returned to KU for Betty to finish her degree in German. While there John took advantage of the opportunity, enrolled as a special student, and took classes in business and law, a useful augmentation to his engineering degree. Following graduation, John and Betty returned to Bartlesville where John began his business career with Foster Petroleum. From 1959-1986 he served as Vice President and President, later also as partner in Kane Enterprises. John and Betty are the parents of five children: Laura Marie (1958), John Burke (1960), Kathleen Elizabeth (1963), James Foster (1966), and Karen Virginia (1968) In the 1960s John really engaged as a cattleman. He was a partner in Codorniz, Cattle Company, a partner in Cedar Creek Ranch, owner and operator of Kane Cattle Company, and a partner in Crossed J Cattle Company. As a result of that business interest he served as President of the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Assn., 1992; Chairman of (US) Cattlemen's Beef Promotion & Research Board, 1991-92; Director of National Cattlemen's Assn, 1990-93; NCA Tax Committee, 1984-90, and Resolutions Committee, 1990-93; (OK) Agriculture Task Force 2000, Chairman Private Property Rights Committee, 1991-95; Director National Cattlemen's Beef Assn, 1997-2002; NCBA Industry Communications Committee, 1997-2002; Director Oklahoma Beef Industry Council, 1996-2002; ex-officio Director OBIC, 2002-2006. The family has enjoyed skiing for many years so that by 1969, John and Betty bought property and built a house at Steamboat Springs, Colorado. While the young family enjoyed skiing vacations and snowy Christmases in Colorado, John, characteristically, was involved in community affairs. John was a partner in Mountain Office Park at Steamboat Springs. He also served in Colorado as a Director of Mountain States Legal Foundation. Both John was a multi-engine instrument rated licensed pilot and Betty had her commercial pilots license. Golf, too, was a satisfying lifetime pursuit for John. He was a very good golfer and over the years was able to play many of the fine courses in the US and overseas. John joined other men in the family as loyal KU alums. Of course he could be seen wearing Jayhawks colors in football season, faithfully attended games, and was glued to the TV in basketball play-offs season. But he also served the university as KU Alumni Association Director 1983-94, and President 1989-90; KU Endowment Association Trustee, 1989-93; and Fred Ellsworth Medallion Honoree, 1991. John had a lengthy list of civic service. He was Chairman of Washington County Republican Party in the 1960s; Salvation Army Board; Children's Services Board; Boys Club Board; Director and President of Hillcrest Country Club, 1967; Chairman United Fund Drive, 1967, then Director 1969-71; Trustee Washington County Memorial Hospital, then Jane Phillips Episcopal Memorial Medical Center, 1968-80; Bartlesville Rotary Club since 1960, President in 1976-77; Bartlesville Community Center Trust Authority, 1979-85, Chairman 1984-85, La Quinta Preservation Foundation Board, 2004-6; (OK) Citizens' Task Force on Tax Reform, President 1991. Most satisfying was his service as a Trustee of the E. H. and Melody Lyon Foundation since 1978, of which he was currently, President. He spoke of looking forward to that meeting next week. John and Betty were active members at First Presbyterian Church. John had attended that church since he was a boy. In addition to his fond duty as greeter on Sunday mornings, John served over the years as deacon, elder, and trustee. Everybody who knew John will remember his big smile and twinkle in his eye. John has a large group of friends. They were very invested in their friends, frequently going to dinner, inviting people to Steamboat, traveling with them, seeking out lively and jovial conversation at parties and civic events. He was a man with a strong sense of right and wrong. Wherever he served he insisted on thoughtful ethics, and was never reticent about speaking up. A serious man, and a man of business and intellectual pursuits, he was an enthusiastic, fun-loving, affable person. In that line, Betty speaks of how he loved his duty as greeter at church. Of first importance he was a husband and father. His family honors their dad, and are grateful for steady fatherly support and guidance, and an irreplaceable closeness that will be treasured in memory. John Foster Kane is survived by his wife Betty Kane, and by his children. Laura Vannoy lives in Denver, Co, and her daughters are Emmy and Ali Vannoy. John B. Kane of Bartlesville, whose children are John J., whose children are Natalie and John W., and Elizabeth and Caroline Kane, Jane Dutcher and her daughter Evie, and Betsy Dutcher. Kathleen and John Donoghue live in San Antonio with sons John, Joe, and Will. James Kane of Bartlesville has daughters Kourtney and Khloe. Karen Korody lives in Denver and her children, Robert and Sarah. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in John's memory to First Presbyterian Church, Bartlesville or to Elder Care. Services for Mr. Kane will be held on Tuesday at 11:00 AM in the First Presbyterian Church, Bartlesville.

Service Details

Tuesday, March 24th, 2015 11:00am, First Presbyterian Church - Bartlesville

Interment Details

White Rose Mausoleum