Jackson Ben Colaw

Jackson Ben “Jack” Colaw, age 80, Belton, passed away at the Research Medical Center on February 20, 2025, surrounded by his loving family. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, on February 17, 1945, to Ben and Cleora (Follmer) Colaw, Jack lived his entire life in the Kansas City area.

After graduating from Southeast High School in 1963, Jack went to Central Missouri State University (now University of Central Missouri). One of the many stories Jack told from that time was how he paid the bills by playing in a band on weekends. Awarded a bachelor’s degree in engineering in 1967, Jack soon found a job in Kansas City and married his high school sweetheart, Judith Mary Martin, on August 26, 1967. The newlyweds were still settling into their new home, however, when the President of the United States sent Jack a “Greetings.” Two weeks later, Jack was on a bus to Fort Leonard Wood.

Jack’s performance, education and steady character during basic combat training earned him a slot as a drill sergeant. That unexpected turn allowed the newlyweds several months together in the States. Uncle Sam decided, however, that Jack’s engineering skills could be put to better use. Jack spent the next year building bunkers and clearing mine fields in Vietnam, missing the birth of Lisa, his first child. Like so many others, Jack returned, not to a hearty welcome, but to a gauntlet of jeering war protesters, a hurt that took fifty years and an Honor Flight to ease if not erase.

Once back in Kansas City, Jack soon settled into a career with Kansas City Power and Light (Evergy) where he worked in multiple capacities before retiring. Jack enjoyed his job but family and friends filled his life. Jack’s hobbies included cars, models, community work and playing with his dogs. (He was literally a “Jack of All Trades.”) One of his favorite projects honored fallen service members in Belton Cemetery by erecting full-size flags with historical placards at their graves for Memorial Day. On the flip side of that coin, Heartland Honor Flight honored Jack with a flight to Washington, DC, in October 2023. Upon his return to Kansas City, a deeply-moved Jack received the “welcome home” he missed more than 50 years before. Jack was equally moved by an article about his pilgrimage in the North Cass Herald.

Jack’s easy grin and warm friendliness will be missed by many but by none more than his beloved family.

Preceded in death by his parents and wife Judy (March 9th, 2020), Jack leaves to mourn his loss two daughters; Lisa Colaw-Smith with husband Todd Ballou of Belton and Julie Otto with husband Karl of Edwards, MO; four grandchildren, Blake Smith, currently in Okinawa serving in the United States Marines, Julia Smith of Kansas City, Cody Hart of Raymore, Nicole Oakes of Lebanon, Missouri, with husband Christopher Oden; one great-grandchild Levi; and his brother, Richard Colaw of Belton.

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations in his name to charities that Jack has supported for many years: ASPCA.org, WoundedWarriorProject.org and StJude.org.

Graveside services will be officiated by Pastor Rick George of New Life Community Church at Belton Cemetery on Saturday, March 15, 2025, at 10 a.m. A Celebration of Life will be held at his home on May 10, 2025 (TBD).