EAGLE, Colo. -- John Rockne Wilferth, 40, of Eagle died Thursday, May 4, 2006, at his home, following a lengthy illness brought on by a head injury sustained in a high school baseball practice.

He was born Aug. 7, 1965, in Cape Girardeau, Mo. He and Charlotte Abendroth were married Jan. 20, 1989, and had a son, Briggs Rockne Wilferth. On April 14, 1997, Wilferth married Melinda Gilmore and became a father to Blake, whom he loved very much.

He was a graduate of Central High School and later earned degrees at Southern Methodist University (BBA, 1986) and at Loyola University (MBA and JD, 1993). In his professional life, Wilferth worked as a financial planner and as a business planner for Capital Management Strategies, for Pension and Benefit Insurance Services and for E-Service Processing Inc. in southern Calif.

Survivors include his parents, Fred Rockne and Judith Roper Wilferth; a son, Briggs Rockne Wilferth; a stepdaughter, Blake Gilmore; maternal grandmother, Leone Proffer and husband, Bob; siblings and spouses, August and Jill Smirl (children Henry, Ivy, George), Jim and Chrisy Wilferth (children "Bo" and Anne Meredith), Joe and Anna Wilferth (children Turner and Jude). Also surviving are uncle and aunt, Mick and Susan Roper (lots and lots of cousins). Dear friends, among so many, include Virgil Mock and Suzanne Kronisch.

Wilferth was preceded in death by his grandparents, Bill and IVD Wilferth and by LaRoy R. "Doc" Roper.

Friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday at La Croix United Methodist Church.

The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at La Croix United Methodist Church with the Pastor Ron Watts officiating. The family will hold a private committal at the Miller Memorial Cemetery on the family farm in Millersville.

Pallbearers are brothers Jim and Joe Wilferth, brother-in-law August Smirl, cousin Roy Roper and friends Virgil Mock, Pat Young, Mike Young, Greg Deimund, Chris Edmonds and John Kinder.

The family would like gifts in Wilferth's memory to go toward the "John Wilferth Memorial." All memorial contributions to this fund benefit Mike and Corrie Young to assist in medical expenses and challenges associated with the care of their children. These gifts may be sent to Merrill Lynch (Attn. Greg Deimund), 1371 N. Mount Auburn Road, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63701.

Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.