Jack (Jake) Lee Warren

Jack Lee "Jake" Warren was born on September 21, 1953, in Kansas City, Missouri. He passed away at his home in Jefferson City, Missouri, on May 2, 2016, making his age 62 years. He was preceded in death by his parents, Leonard & Allie Mae Warren; his father-in-law, Amuel Young; his sisters-in-law, Linda DeWitt and Connie Harmon; and Gary Young, the brother-in-law he met for the first time in Heaven. He is survived by his wife, Vicki; his sisters, Judy Bennett and husband Jerry, and Jody Reid and husband Robert; his mother-in-law, Ilene Jacks; his brother and sister, Daryl & Carolyn Young; his brother, Steve Young; uncles and aunts; cousins; many nieces and nephews; and a long line of great friends.
Jake spent his early childhood in Northeast Kansas City then moved with his parents to Santa Fe, New Mexico, when he was in high school. There, he played hard – driving cars and trucks into arroyos and even a few ponds; riding and wrecking motorcycles; and riding bulls and broncs. His Santa Fe rodeo friends gave him the nickname "Big Jake," which was later shortened to Jake. After high school, he returned to Missouri, where he attended Southwest Baptist College in Bolivar. During the summer of 1976, Jake met youth pastor Steve Young's little sister, Vicki, at Bethany Baptist Church in Kansas City. He had no clue that God had chosen this young girl for him. Jake returned to college, graduating in 1977 with a bachelor's degree in religion and psychology. In December 1977, God once again arranged for Jake to meet Vicki at Bethany Baptist Church. Three and a half months later, on April 15, 1978, they were married in the church where they had met and where Jake had been baptized.
Jake was a humble, soft-spoken man with a dry sense of humor. Anything he put his mind and hands to, he could do – from driving big rigs to woodworking to repairing engines to programming wheelchairs and computers. When he and Vicki moved to Durango, Colorado, he single-handedly built their home in the mountains. Jake was happiest exploring the mountain backroads with Vicki by his side. His two favorite spots on earth were the San Juan Mountains above Purgatory Ski Resort and Arches National Park in Utah. He saw the best of God's handiwork there. Jake was content to work behind the scenes, letting others take the spotlight and the credit. More than once, he cashed his paycheck and anonymously gave the money to friends who he felt needed it more. Only Jake and Vicki knew he'd done this, but God saw it all. He was a devoted husband who told his wife every day for 38 years how much she meant to him. Jake's love for God, for his bride, for his family and friends never wavered.
Diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in April 2013, Jake was determined to fight the good fight. And he did. He defied and amazed his doctors by continuing to work until June 2015. When the disease robbed him of the ability to walk, he simply modified his workshop and continued to build from his wheelchair. In the end, unable to sit up or roll over in bed, his devotion and determination continued. He spent his days praying, saying "I love you" to his wife, and telling anyone who would listen about God's immense love for us. He looked forward to Heaven, eager to meet the Father and Son face-to-face, to greet old friends and family members, to dance and to run. At the end, he promised his bride that he would remember her to the Father, and that until she could join him, he would spend his time helping Jesus build her mansion, finding new backroads for them to explore together, and holding a place for her at the Father's table. Jake was loved by many and will be missed by all who knew him. We rest assured that he will be one of the first to greet us when we pass through Heaven's gates.