John E. “Jack” Vest, 86, of Festus, died Aug. 24, 2020, at his home. Mr. Vest was a standout basketball player at Herculaneum High School in his youth and later enjoyed coaching youth sports, refereeing basketball and playing golf. After retiring from his career as an information systems manager with Pittsburgh Plate Glass Crystal City, he managed guest registration at the Teamsters Championship Golf Course for 15 years. He ran the scoreboard at St. Pius X High School sporting events from the 1970s through the 1990s, and considered it his sacred duty every evening to get his name in the pot at Knights of Columbus Hall 1230 in Festus. He was a longtime member of Our Lady Catholic Church in Festus and a loyal Mizzou and Anheuser-Busch booster. Born Aug. 15, 1934, in Herculaneum, he was the son of the late Myrtle (Greenlee) and John Elmer Vest Sr.
He is survived by his wife: Shirley (Speidel) Vest; a son: Rick (Sandy) Vest of Barnhart; two daughters: Vicki (Eric) Meyer of Chesterfield and Beth (Rick) Moss of Festus; three brothers: Patrick (the late Audrey) Vest and Dennis (Patricia) Vest, both of Belleville, Ill., and Barry Boyer of Imperial; two sisters: Donna Vest of Arnold and Darla Vest of Festus; 10 grandchildren: Ericka (Travis) Casteel, Kate Vest, Alyssa (Taylor) McConnell, Kayla (Chad) Hult, Chelsea Meyer, Jenna (Michael) Schonhoff, Jeremy (fiancé Katie) Moss, Andrew Vest, Gabrielle Vest, and Kylie Meyer; and seven great-grandchildren: Alec Casteel, Ella Casteel, Ava Casteel, Andi Langelier, Fletcher Krotzmeyer, Alden Krotzmeyer and Oliver McConnell.
He was preceded in death by a brother: Harold “Jim” Vest; and a grandson: Shawn Moss.
Visitation is from 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 28, at Vinyard Funeral Home in Festus, followed by a funeral mass at noon at Our Lady Catholic Church in Festus, officiated by Father Dan Shaughnessy. Burial will follow in the Sacred Heart Cemetery in Crystal City. Memorials may be made to the Pony Bird Home in Mapaville or to St. Pius X High School. Arrangements are under the direction of Vinyard Funeral Home.