John Howard Nessa, 61, of Altamont and Du Quoin, passed away at 1:51 P.M., Friday, June 10, 2005 at the Marshall Browning Hospital in Du Quoin.
John was a horse trainer for forty years. He had raced horses at the Chicago Race Track and many fairs in Iowa and Illinois. He was a member of the Bethel Lutheran Church in Du Quoin. He was a member of the IHHA and the USTA. He served his country as a Sergeant in the US Marine Corps from 1960 to 1964.
He was born July 19, 1943 at Ft. Dodge, Iowa the son of Irvin and Iva (Knutson) Nessa.
He married Noreen Lyons on June 25, 1966 at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa and she survives.
He is survived by his wife of Altamont, son- Shawn Nessa and wife Angie of Du Quoin, daughter- Stacie Boyer and husband John of Fairfield, four grandchildren- Ivy Nessa, Alexa Boyer, A.J. Boyer and Drew Boyer, three sisters- Marilyn Lempke of Humboldt, Iowa, Karen Hendricks of Webster City, Iowa, Kathy Maxon of Waseca, Minn. 
He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters- Doris Bratmiller and Karla Nessa, one brother- Roger Nessa.
Funeral services will be at 10:00 A.M., Thursday, June 16, 2005 at the Bethel Lutheran Church in Du Quoin with Rev. John E. Johnson officiating.
Friends may call from 5 to 8 P.M., Wednesday at the Searby Funeral Home in Du Quoin and from 9 to 10 A.M. Thursday at the church.
Interment will be in the McElvain Cemetery at Du Quoin.
Friends may make memorials to the John Nessa Family Memorial Fund % Horseman Bookkeeper, Balmoral Racetrack, 26435 South Dixie Hwy., Crete, IL 60417 or will be accepted at the funeral home.
For additional information or to sign the memorial guest register, please visit www.searbyfuneralhomes.com.
