John Hancock

John Hancock, 64, of Panama, died at 5:21 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 2, 2012, at Memorial Medical Center in Springfield.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 6, at the Panama United Methodist Church with Pastor Dave Trover officiating. Burial with military honors will follow at Union Cemetery in Panama.

Visitation will be held from 5 until 7 p.m. on Wednesday at Perfetti Funeral Home in Panama.

Mr. Hancock was born on Aug. 5, 1948, in Hillsboro, a son of the late Paul R. Sr. and Helen E. (Walters) Hancock. He married Gail Huston and the couple later divorced. He then married Deborah S. Spensberger on June 16, 2007, at the Panama United Methodist Church, and she survives.

A 1966 graduate of Hillsboro High School and lifelong Panama resident, Mr. Hancock was a veteran of the U.S. Army serving during the Vietnam War. He was a longtime member of the Panama United Methodist Church who retired in 2005 from Cassens Transport in Fenton, MO.

Mr. Hancock is survived by a daughter, Shelly (husband Tim) DeWerff of Nokomis; a son, Josh (wife Nacedah) Hancock of Hillsboro; a sister, Naomi "Sis" (husband Joe) McCario of Panama; a brother, Paul (wife Kim) Hancock of Hamel; and three granddaughters, Erin, Heather and Amy DeWerff.

He was preceded in death by a grandson, Zachary DeWerff.

Memorials are suggested to the Muscular Dystrophy Association.