Jack Dean Bastow, 85, of Nevada, MO, passed away on Friday December 12, 2025 at the Moore-Few Care Center in Nevada. Jack was born September 27, 1940 to Roderick F. and Ida Faye (Robbinson) Bastow in the bedroom of his parents’ home on North Adams Street in Nevada and has lived in Nevada his whole life. As a child, he was baptized in the Sylvandale Baptist Church and as a young man attended First Baptist Church. He was a student in the Nevada R-5 School System, graduating in 1958. He began his work history in high school on a work program, delivering flowers for Darnold Florist. After graduation, he worked for Darrow Lumber Yard until it sold to Community Lumber Company. Jack started out as a truck driver for Community Lumber and later became Assistant Manager, working for the firm for 30 years. Later he was employed by the Nevada Housing Authority as Maintenance Supervisor for 18 years, retiring in 1984.
Jack was a hard-working man. Besides holding a full-time job, he built houses and barns, cut trees, remodeled homes, and owned rental property. He was an excellent woodworker and master carpenter. He built beautiful furniture from oak, walnut, and various other woods. Jack, Shirley Ann and Steven restored their Victorian home on 504 South Cedar Street with Jack reproducing/refinishing any wood in the home back to its natural state. He loved sharing his talents and after retirement he made toys for the Vernon County Toy Drive for many years. Jack also built the first Santa house and painted by his father and set it up yearly on the Courthouse lawn in Nevada.
He served on the Planning Commission for the City of Nevada as well as the Nevada Street Committee, driving on every road in Nevada with his wife as secretary making notes of every bumpy street and bad curb. Additionally, he was on the Moss House Board of Directors. He was very interested in the community and diligently read the Nevada Daily Mail from cover to cover.
Jack loved his family and his wife’s family. He was a loyal friend and would help anyone. His devoted friends of 46 years, the Bell family, were a large part of Jack’s life. He loved to visit and will be missed by his family and friends.
Jack is survived by his wife, Shirley Ann ; his son, Steven; sister, Judy Humprey, her husband Melvin, nephews Mark Humphrey and Rodney Bastow and a niece, Jamie Collins, and their families; and his cousin, Gail Current, Plattsburg, Mo, and her family. He was preceded in death by his parents and his younger brother, Jim.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 17, 2025 at Ferry Funeral Home, Nevada with Pastor Terry Mosher officiating. Interment will follow in Moore Cemetery, Nevada. The family will receive friends from 5:00-7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 16, 2025 at the funeral home.
Those who wish may contribute in Jack’s memory to The Parkinson
Foundation or St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital in care of Ferry Funeral Home.
