John Buell Naughtin Jr.

John Buell Naughtin, Jr., died Wednesday, July 29th, 2015 at his home in Lawrence, Kansas of pancreatic cancer. He was surrounded by his family at the time of death. John was born in Omaha, NE, on January 18, 1947 to John Buell Naughtin, Sr. and Barbara Payne Naughtin. He came to Lawrence in 1965 and lived there for the rest of his life, except for a brief, involuntary stint in the US Army. He received a BFA from the University of Kansas in Graphic Design. John was active in the community throughout his time in Lawrence, participating in neighborhood organizations including Old West Lawrence and the Oread Neighborhood Association, where he served as president. He served two terms as commissioner for the Kansas Arts Commission and as chairman of the Kansas Governor’s Arts Advisory Board – you young folks can ask your parents what those organizations were. John was a proud and stalwart Democrat who volunteered countless hours and designed yard signs for various local and state campaigns. He was a member of the Downtown Improvement Committee and helped preserve the local integrity of downtown Lawrence. He also spent the last 12 years of his life as a regular volunteer for Audio Reader. His artwork was visible in designs all over Lawrence, from yard signs to the Lawrence Community Nursery School (Little Red Schoolhouse) and more.
He will be remembered by friends and family for his wit, his passion for history and genealogy, and as a lover of blues and barbecue. John was quick to laugh and share stories with friends and strangers alike, often with his walking buddies on Mondays at Free State Brewery. He is survived by his wife Paula, his son Hugh and girlfriend Rachel, his daughter Rose, his sisters Barb and Bonnie, his brother Tony, and many nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents and sister Patty. A memorial service and reception will be held at 2:00pm Saturday, August 8th at the Ecumenical Campus Ministries of the University of Kansas, 1204 Oread Avenue, Lawrence, KS.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Social Service League, 905 Rhode Island St., Lawrence, KS 66044, Audio Reader Network: www.reader.ku.edu or Gift of Life: www.giftdonor.org.
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