John "Terry" Day, 83, passed away in St. Louis, MO on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, surrounded by his family.
Terry was born on February 19,1943, in Jacksonville, Illinois to Harold and Rosemary (Walsh) Day.
He married the love of his life Kathryn Pflueger on July 30, 1994, in St. Louis, MO at the Botanical Gardens.
Terry proudly served his country in the Air Force and the Army. He was a Chief Warrant Officer (CW4) in the CID Division. He served in Vietnam, Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Afghanistan and Iraq, providing protective services for many military dignitaries. He visited 82 countries in his military career. Terry also served his community as a police officer for many years. He refereed high school football, basketball, baseball, and softball. He was an avid fan of all sports, especially football. He enjoyed boating on the Mississippi River and traveling. His heart belonged to Ireland especially. He was an ardent supporter of all things military, especially the National Memorial of Military Ascent in his hometown of Grafton, and his local American Legion.
He is survived by his loving wife; his children, Dawn (Jerry) Goldsmith of Newalla, Oklahoma, Crystal Reed of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Terry (Jennifer) Day of Harrah, Oklahoma, Danielle (Michael) Prox of Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, and Jacob (Angela) Wiese of Florissant, Missouri; 2 sisters, Mary Janice Campbell of Cedar Rapids Iowa and Marty Stuckenberg of Payson, Arizona; 13 grandchildren; and 6 great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Visitation will be held on Monday, June 8, 2026, from 4:00pm to 7:00pm at Elias, Kallal, and Schaaf Funeral Home in Godfrey, IL.
Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 10am on Tuesday, June 9, 2026 at Saint Patrick’s Catholic church in Grafton, IL.
Burial will follow at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, MO.
Luncheon will follow after burial at the Grafton American Legion #648 in Grafton, IL.
Memorials can be made at Grafton American Legion Post #648 or National Memorial of Military Ascent (www.GraftonMemorial.org).
