John Charles Garnet Metcalfe

John Charles Garnet Metcalfe, Jack to everyone who knew him, slipped quietly away from us in his home in Cokeville, Wyoming on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, at the age of 83. His death was confirmed at the South Lincoln Medical Center in Kemmerer, Wyoming.

Born August 12, 1942, in New Castle, New Brunswick, Canada, Jack was the youngest of three children born to John Robert Metcalfe and Jennie Rene Lawson, rounding out the family with his two older siblings, Lorelei Metcalfe Dauenhauer (deceased) and Eric Metcalfe (living).

With his father in the Canadian Air Force, Jack moved with his family to bases throughout Canada. He also lived for a time in Washington DC. While his father was stationed on the Airforce Base in Metz, France, Jack was introduced to Gerald Ross Williams, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was that friendship which would have an eternal impact on him.

Jack’s father retired and moved the family to California. Jack finished high school there but had no real plan on what to do next. He had kept in touch with Gerald Williams and asked his friend what he was doing after graduation. Gerald replied that he was going to Brigham Young University and said, “You should apply!” So, Jack did. He later felt there was divine intervention in his getting accepted to BYU at the time. He moved into an apartment with a group of young men who were either pre-missionaries or returned missionaries—they were all very eager to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with Jack.

Eventually, Jack accepted the invitation to take the missionary lessons. After the first discussion, Jack looked at his roommates and said, “Is that all that you’ve got?” Surprised, they told him they had completed the first discussion and there were more lessons to come. Jack didn’t want them to stop; he wanted to hear all the lessons, right then. They obliged. The more they taught him, the more Jack believed what they were teaching. When they finished, he prayed throughout the night to know if the Church was true and received his positive answer as the sun dawned the next morning. He was baptized a member of Christ’s true church on November 13, 1960, by Gerald Williams. Upon coming out of the waters of baptism, he recalled being able to see clearly without his glasses for roughly an hour afterward. It was a sign to him that what he had done had brought spiritual clarity into his life.

Jack wanted to serve the Lord as a full-time missionary. After waiting a year after his baptism, the 19-year-old submitted his papers and was called to serve in the Paris France Mission. He spent a short time in Salt Lake City touching up on his French and was set apart as a missionary by Elder Howard W. Hunter. He served throughout areas of France and Belgium for two and a half years from 1961 through 1964 before being honorably released. He returned to Southern California where his parents lived.

It was there that he met Joanne Rae Petersen. For him, it was love at first sight; she needed more convincing. As they tell it, their first date was a bit of a disaster, but he was persistent, constantly finding reasons to be with her. Eventually, he won her over, and they were sealed in the Los Angeles Temple for time and all eternity on September 11, 1965. Eight children have come from their union: Christopher (Jennifer), Aaron (Anna), Andrea (Skule), Heather, Joanna (Chad), Jaime (Phil), Jay, and Sandra (Keith). They have 24 grandchildren.

While his young family lived in South Gate, California, Jack worked at Sears and went to school at East Los Angeles Junior College. He then moved his family to Orem, Utah, when he returned to Brigham Young University. He graduated in 1971 with a BA in History and began his 36-year teaching career at Bingham Junior High School in South Jordan, Utah. His family also lived in American Fork and Alpine, Utah, during that time.

On June 7, 1974, Jack became a naturalized citizen of the United States of America; a very proud day for him and his family. In 1978, he was hired as the history teacher for Cokeville Junior High and High School. In 1984, he took on the additional role of Drivers Ed. Teacher. For twenty-nine years, junior high and high school students were taught Wyoming history, world government, civics, geography, US history, French (on occasion) and how to drive in city and freeway conditions on their final driving test in Salt Lake City.

Upon retirement, Jack and Joanne embarked on their first mission as a couple. They served three proselyting missions in the France Toulouse Mission (2007-2009), France Paris Mission (2011-2013), and the France Lyon Mission (2015-2017). They also served a service mission in the Texas Houston Mission (2021-2022). They met and became friends with many people and had many special experiences during their service. In between their missions, they were also able to travel and visit with family and friends.

Jack’s family is so grateful to have been able to celebrate their parents’ 60th wedding anniversary with them on September 6, with those who were able to attend and those who extended wishes to them. We would also like to express our appreciation to those who worked to save his life on the evening of the 16th.

The viewing for John C. Metcalfe will be held on Friday, September 26, from 6 to 8 pm at the Cokeville Latter-day Saint meeting house. There will be an additional viewing held on Saturday, September 27, at 10 am. The funeral services will then take place at 11 am, also at the Cokeville meeting house. Interment will follow at the Cokeville Cemetery.