John “Jack” Alf age 85 of Tracy passed away Monday, May 22, 2017 at his home surrounded by family.  Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM Thursday, May 25 at the Tracy Lutheran Church. Visitation will be held 4:00-7:00 PM Wednesday, with a service of remembrance at 7:00 PM, at the Tracy Area Funeral Home.  Visitation will continue Thursday at the church for one hour prior to the service. Burial will be held at 5:30 PM Thursday at the Tracy City Cemetery. Online condolences may be sent at www.stephensfuneralservice.com.  Stephens Funeral Service – Tracy Area Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

Jack Alf was born on May 30, 1931 to August and Agnes (Seltz) Alf in Shetek Township, Murray County, MN.  He was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran Church.  Jack attended country school near Tracy, and helped on the family farm until he was drafted into the United States Army in February 1952. During the Korean War, on Christmas Eve 1952, Jack was a soldier in the midst of the Battle of Heartbreak Ridge where over 3,000 American and 25,000 Chinese and North Korean soldiers lost their lives.  Jack received his honorable discharge in November 1953.  He then worked as a welder in Colorado before returning to Tracy where he met and later married Shirley Hall on November 14, 1958.  Jack operated a refrigeration business, and later worked for Deming Plumbing and Heating.  In 1976, he began working as a Tracy Public School custodian, where Jack helped care for the two school buildings.  After his retirement, he continued to operate a lawn service. He was a jack of all trades and enjoyed building and fixing anything.  Jack was a member of the Tracy VFW and American Legion.  He enjoyed woodworking, bird watching, and watching westerns, history, and game shows.  Jack loved mowing lawn and gardening.

Jack is survived by his wife Shirley of 58 years; sons Steve (Jan) Alf of Spring, TX and Jeff (Lori) Alf of Tracy; grandson William Alf; sisters: Betty Kolbe of Mesa, AZ, Florence Smith of Tracy, and Sandra (Steve) Myers of Buckley, WA; sister-in-law Betty Alf of Cottonwood, AZ; and many other relatives and friends.  He is preceded in death by his parents, brothers Dale and Leonard Alf, and sister Delores Dieken.