John Van Meter

Graveside services for John Van Meter, 94, of Frankfort will be held on Wednesday, October 28, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. at Frankfort Cemetery. Bro. Harry Hebert will officiate. He passed away Tuesday, October 13, at Veterans Hospital in Lexington. He had been a resident of Thompson Hood Veterans Center in Wilmore for the past 20 months. He was born September 14, 1926 to the late Buford and Stella Van Meter. He graduated Bridgeport High School in 1944 and was drafted to the Army shortly thereafter and spent some time in the Philippines. John met Anna Ruth Stodghill at the Second Street ball field and they were married in 1953 and spent the next 67 years at their home on Louisville Road. John retired after 40 years with National Distillers/Jim Beam where he worked the majority of his time at Old Taylor Distillery as a yeast room operator. He also farmed throughout his life, raising tobacco, baling hay and gardening. He was a member of Bridgeport Christian Church, baptized in 1940, an Army veteran of WWII and a lifetime member of VFW Post 4075. He and Ruth raised two daughters and worked hard to support their family. They enjoyed being together and loved to raise a garden. After retirement, they often traveled to Dale Hollow Lake to camp and fish. John had to “get out” every day to take a ride around town and especially around the Game Farm. He enjoyed visiting family and friends and taking his grandkids on those “dumb rides.” He was also preceded in death by his beloved brother J.B. Van Meter. Survivors, in addition to his wife Ruth, are daughters Peggy Jo (Rusty) Tipton (Shelbyville) and Johnna Kaye (Joey) Griffith, Cropper; brother Eugene Van Meter, Lexington; sister Irene Van Meter, Lawrenceburg; grandchildren, Stephanie Tipton, Jamie Tipton, John Lynn (Stephanie) Smither; great grandchildren Madeline Perry, Rylee Smither, Russell Thomas Tipton, and several nieces and nephews. Members of the VFW #4075 will serve as pallbearers and will perform military honors graveside. LeCompte Johnson Taylor Funeral Home is handling arrangements. Social distancing and face covering will be required at the cemetery. Expressions of sympathy may be made to VFW #4075 or Bridgeport Christian Church. Condolences may be expressed at www.ljtfuneralhome.com.

John Van Meter

September 14, 1926 - October 13, 2020