Jack Lausten Hespelt's Obituary
Jack Lausten Hespelt, 86, of Kansas City, Missouri, passed away peacefully on January 28, 2026, at North Kansas City Hospital.
Jack was born on October 24, 1939, in Palo Alto, California, the beloved son of the late William Earnest Hespelt and Rose Elizabeth Lausten.
At the young age of nine, Jack was orphaned and went to live with his Uncle Roy Lausten and loving Aunt Olive Lausten. He was raised in Los Gatos, California, where he enjoyed an active childhood filled with swimming, fishing, and hunting; activities that shaped his lifelong love for the outdoors.
Jack graduated from Los Gatos Union High School in 1959 and soon after entered the United States Army, serving honorably from 1959 to 1961. Following his military service, he attended San Jose City College, where he met the love of his life, Bonnie Gay LaCourt.
In the fall of 1962, Jack completed a year of study at Multnomah School of the Bible in Portland, Oregon. During this time, he was introduced to the Christian organization The Navigators, a relationship that would deeply influence his faith and life’s direction. After praying together, Jack and Bonnie felt called to Colorado Springs, where Jack accepted a position working on the grounds crew at Glen Eyrie.
Jack and Bonnie were married on October 28, 1967, beginning a beautiful partnership rooted in faith and service. Together, they served in ministry, dedicating their lives to serving God side by side.
In 1971, their son Nathan was born, and the family moved to Indianapolis for a few years before returning to Glen Eyrie, where their daughter Melody was born. In 1980, God led the family to Oklahoma City. There, Jack worked in construction for many years before employment at the Oklahoma Historical Society, where he remained until his retirement in 2004.
After retiring, Jack and Bonnie spent a few years in California before settling in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In 2019, they relocated to Kansas City to be closer to their cherished granddaughter.
Jack will be remembered for his unwavering devotion to God, his selfless love for others, and his faith-filled life that reflected God’s promises to everyone he met. He was a wonderful husband and father who led with humility, kindness, and quiet strength. Jack had a joyful sense of humor that he shared freely, whistled in perfect pitch, loved fishing and the ocean, and found great joy in woodworking, creating art, and enjoying really good food.
Jack is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Bonnie Gay Hespelt; his son, Nathan Boyd Hespelt; his daughter, Melody Olive Haskett, and her husband Eli Earl Haskett; and his beloved granddaughter, Everly Rose Haskett. He is also survived by his brother-in-law Michael Conway; sister-in-law Joy Becker and her husband Richard Becker; and sister-in-law JoAnne Hespelt. He was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers George Gordon Hespelt and William Hespelt Jr.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, February 7, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Floral Haven Chapel in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to The Navigators for the “Staff/Project” Account #48926 or #3982311 PO Box 6000, Colorado Springs, CO 80934.
Jack’s life was a testimony of faith, perseverance, love, and grace. He leaves behind a legacy not only in the years he lived, but in the hearts he touched, the family he cherished, and the steady way he shared God’s promises.
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