John Paul Kilgore

John Paul Kilgore, age 49 of Hewitt, lived his final day on Sunday, July 31, 2022.

Preceded in death by his father, Orval “Luke” Kilgore, Aunt Virginia Kilgore, Uncle Ernest Dulak, Jr., Uncle Danny Carpenter, cousins Aaron Carpenter and Sharon Winkler, and his faithful companion chocolate lab “Scout”.

Early in life, John enjoyed sports and everything in the outdoors. Spending time with his cousins at his Grandparents, fishing for crawdads and perch in any creek or ditch he could find water with his childhood best buddies, deer hunting with family and friends and chasing fish on Lakes Waco, Whitney or wherever a good time landed bait on his hook. John treasured these times, buddies and memories for a lifetime. When John wasn’t outdoors, you could probably find him shooting a game of pool in his Dad’s mailman shoes, sitting next to a domino table with his family or sliding around a dance floor.

In the summers you’d find young John at the Midway Little League fields behind home plate in catchers gear with a hidden dip of snuff in his mouth; even though he was the first boy in Midway Little League to be a winning pitcher of record outside the state of Texas on teams that won two different state championships in 1986 and 1988.  Up until his death, John could still name every friend and teammate on each team over his years in Midway Little League and Midway High School. John re-lived these best of times and teammates his entire life.

In high school, John’s love for his friends and good times never changed. He was cared for by many because he loved and accepted whomever you were, whatever you were about and wherever you were in life; especially if you were at “the gate”, “the drag”, “senior hole”, “Imperial circle”, “Scott’s house” or Shooters. Later in life, Uncle Jerry’s farm was John’s place to go for his own peace of mind and trusted shoulder to lean on.

Beyond and behind the good times, John was a good person at heart. He was kind, compassionate and had depth many didn’t get the opportunity to know. He didn’t wear it on his sleeve, but it was known by those of his good friends who knew him best. He was the quiet and consummate good Samaritan helping anyone in need his entire life.

John graduated from TSTC with an AAS in both Automotive and Diesel. He spent his entire life helping people fix their cars for free but spent his professional career serving the auto and farm mechanical needs surrounding the Golinda community then the rest of his career at the GM dealership in Gatesville.

Few nephews could have had a more dedicated and loving (in his own way) “Uncle John”. Some of John’s favorite times in his later years were spent helping Clay remodel his home, working in the barn and hunting dove while at the same time, helping raise Luke and Patrick in their early years and then being a faithful follower of all their baseball playing days in Midway Little League and at Midway High School. John dearly loved his Midway Baseball Family for over 40 years.

In all that John was for anyone in need, there have been few more selfless or faithful in taking care of his mother, Patsy, and dog, Scout, until the very end.  The streets and neighborhoods of Hewitt will miss their daily citizen “patrol” making sure all was well. He was a faithful son, loved brother and responsible neighbor.

John Kilgore was a good and faithful servant to all he loved and his fellow man.  If you’re out in the county, out on a lake, watching a baseball game or just having a good time, think of John as those were his favorite places of God’s beautiful creations.

Survived by his mother, Patsy Kilgore, sister Kathy Shelburne and husband Clint, brother Jeff Kilgore and wife Stephanie, nephews Clay Shelburne, Luke Kilgore and Patrick Kilgore, Uncle Jerry Kilgore, Aunt Diane Padgett, Aunt Evelyn Dulak and cousins Jerry Kilgore Jr, Terri Dutchmann, David Dulak, Ray Dulak, Amber Arnold and Sarah Carpenter.

Pallbearers – Jesse Acosta, Charlie Blanton, Franz Hyland, Scott Sloan, Brian Schmunsler and Mark Wood. Honorary Pallbearers – Doyle Lawless, Jerry Oxner, Tommy Patterson, Will Davidson, Rick Gonzales, Jason Downing, Brett Mott, Jeff Smith, Michael Kettler and all the rest of his friends over the years which are too many to list but John knows who you are.

Visitation Friday, August 5 from 6-8 p.m. at Grace Gardens Funeral Home in Woodway with a private burial on Saturday.

The family would like add a special thank you and warm hug for the loving care John received from Baylor Scott-White Hospice, The Atrium, Grace Gardens Funeral Home, Mandy James Pickerill, Stacy Still Porter, Mark Wood and John’s awesome Midway High School class of 1991.

Registry for John Kilgore