Tony Decker

Tony Eugene Decker was born in Hutchinson, KS, June 23, 1945, to Clayton and Waunita (Jantz) Decker. His arrival was welcomed by older brother, Larry, and sister, Loretta. When he was a year old, the family moved from rural Burton to a farm east of Elbing, Kansas. He attended Peabody schools through 8th grade and enjoyed renewed contact with many of those former classmates over the past several years. The family moved to Newton, where Tony finished his schooling with the class of 1963. He participated in various activities, but basketball and singing in Choraleers were favorites. Tonys love of sports and music carried on into his adult life. He played on city league teams and sang in church choirs and mixed ensembles. In his 20s, Tony took up golf and played every chance he could get. After high school, Tony attended Wichita Business College, where he studied computer operations. He worked in this field and held management positions until his early retirement, due to health issues. In 1966, Tony married Janice Cannon in Newton, Kansas. When people would find out the couple graduated from high school together, they ask if they were high school sweethearts. Tony got a kick out of saying, “Oh, we were so madly in love in high school but, with other people!” Together, they raised three beautiful, responsible children, Mitch, Kelly and Robin. Tony and Jan were separated when his Air Guard unit was activated, at the time of the Pueblo Crisis in 1968, and he was deployed to South Korea. Tony said his most dangerous encounter while serving his country on foreign soil was walking into a Quonset hut during monsoon season and finding computer cables on the floor covered with water. After retirement, Tony did some volunteering. His favorite was as a zoo-lab interpreter at the Sedgwick County Zoo (except on school field trip days with bus loads of kids). He also enjoyed setting up and maintaining websites for the NHS class of 63 and the HighIMPACT Sunday school class. He was also involved in his neighborhood association. Tony is survived by his wife, Jan; mother, Waunita Decker, of the home; brother, Larry, and wife, Wanda of Clearwater; son, Mitch Decker, and wife, Nichole; daughter, Kelly, and husband, Lester Steventon II, all of Wichita, and daughter, Robin, and husband, Derek Conrad, of Chicago; grandchildren, Ryan, Justin, Seth, Joshua and Leslie; great-grandchildren, Malachi, Aarriannuh, Mia, Elijah, Joseph, Alexis and Hayley. Tony was preceded in death by father, Clayton; sister, Loretta Loomis, and grandson, Aaron Decker. Tony did not do things for the recognition, but enjoyed the satisfaction of a job or project well done. He had the gift of discernment, strength of organization and a good work ethic. He loved his family and friends and they will miss him deeply, but we have Gods promise to believers of being together again in heaven.