John Francis Palicki, 79, passed peacefully from this earth on July 10, 2026, in Springfield, MO, after admirably facing several health challenges.

He was born February 23, 1947, in Chicago, IL, to Valerian and Marian Palicki. He was preceded in death by his parents, as well his adult son, John T. Palicki; a brother, Valerian Palicki; sister-in-law, Robin Melton; mother-in-law, Janis Melton, and Bryan Koetje (his niece Amanda’s husband).

John attended Chicago Vocational High School and graduated in 1966. He served in the Army from 1966 to 1972 and attained the rank of captain. During his military service, he was stationed in Vietnam for one year, where he earned the Combat Infantry Badge, the Army Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the Bronze Star, as well as several other medals. He was extremely proud of this record and his service to our country.

After the Army, John moved to Springfield, MO, and soon opened Instant Print Copy Center with three partners. John eventually became the sole owner and expanded the business to include four stores by 1984. He found the business to be rewarding, but eventually grew tired of working 60-70 hours every week. He sold the business in the mid-1980s, and put his experience as an offset printer to work for several local shops for the next few decades, until his retirement in 2011.

In September 1990, John began an adventure of a different kind when he married Erin Melton. Side by side for almost 36 years, they enjoyed traveling, cheering at local sports events, and attending musical concerts. One of their biggest adventures was working on their house, which continually expanded and evolved over several decades. John was a skilled carpenter, electrician, and all-around handy man, so they tackled most of the work themselves. They found it to be “hard” work, but enjoyed the results and rewards of their labor.

In 2015, John and Erin embarked upon a new venture, along with Vona Harris, by purchasing Schultz and Dooley’s Pub in Chesterfield Village. By 2016, they were the sole owners of the pub, and they enjoyed the challenges and rewards of the business and the camaraderie of their customers who continue to visit the pub on a regular basis.

Many know that John was a talented cook and baker, and he enjoyed making birthday cakes for all his friends and family. He loved to peruse his cookbooks and find new and different recipes to test on his subjects. One of his most innovative experiments was “dork balls,” which were meatballs made of deer meat and sausage.

John was a perpetual prankster with a wicked, sly sense of humor. He was a fun uncle to his nieces and nephews, and he always had a joke, riddle, or fun trick to show them. One of his infamous pranks was displaying a gorilla head on his Bass Pro ID card for three months because HR wouldn’t replace his worn-out ID!

He often gifted family and friends with clever things he made, including beer and wine bottle wind chimes and a flat board with a hole in it that was a one-bottle wine holder. (It really did work!)

John loved animals, especially dogs. He called himself the “Dog King,” and it was true – most dogs were drawn to him and adored him. During his lifetime, he had too many dogs to count, but he loved them all. (We hope he’s with them now.)

The immediate family wishes to express special thanks to Home Instead and especially Shayna Trachte, who was his friend and caretaker for more than two years. Shayna truly helped add to the quality of his later life with all of their adventures.

John was a loving and loyal husband, brother, father, uncle, and friend who will be missed by all who knew him. He is survived by his loving wife, Erin; brother, Thomas Palicki and his wife Pam; sister, Sharon Clutterham; daughter, Patricia Mayer; niece, Amanda Koetje; nephew, Adam and his wife Crystal; nephew, Eric and his wife Tija; niece, Paula Sharp; five great-nieces and two great-nephews, as well as many other family members and special friends.

John was truly a unique individual, and we think they must have broken the mold after he was born. We’ll forever miss his laughter and his calm and comforting presence in our lives. 

Graveside Service will be held at 10:00 AM, Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at Missouri Veterans Cemetery.