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John Clarence Phifer,&nbsp; 73, of North Platte, passed away Wednesday,&nbsp;February 5, 2020, at Bryan Health in Lincoln.John was born May 8, 1946, to Clarence A. and Beulah Marie (Hopping)&nbsp;Phifer in North Platte. He grew up west of town and went to Platte&nbsp;Valley Grade School then Hershey High School, graduating in 1964. John&nbsp;attended McCook Junior College for two years before joining the U.S.&nbsp;Navy in October 1967.The Navy schooled and trained John to be an aerographer's mate&nbsp;(meteorologist).&nbsp; He was scientifically inclined, so for his sea duty he&nbsp;volunteered for Operation Deep Freeze, the Antarctic Support Activity&nbsp;which was attached to the National Science Foundation.&nbsp; John wintered in&nbsp;Antarctica from '69 to '70, stationed at McMurdo Base, but flew to all&nbsp;the other bases on "the ice".While on leave in the Spring of '71, John married Kathryn 'Kay' Becher&nbsp;in North Platte. They had two children, Travis and Angela, and later&nbsp;divorced.Following his honorable discharge in August 1971, John returned to North&nbsp;Platte and hired on with the Union Pacific Railroad. He became a&nbsp;Switchman, then moved to Cheyenne, WY and worked as a Brakeman then as&nbsp;Conductor until about 2000.&nbsp; John eventually returned to North Platte to&nbsp;be closer to his family and worked part-time at Burger King for many years.He was a member of the First Christian Church.&nbsp; He enjoyed working on and restoring vintage Thunderbirds and was a longtime member of the Rocky Mountain Thunderbird Club. John also enjoyed working on and riding&nbsp;his Triumph motorcycle, and was an HO gauge model railroader.He was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Beulah; ex-wife,&nbsp;Kathryn; and all his aunts and uncles.&nbsp;John is survived by his daughter, Angela Phifer, of Loveland, CO; son,&nbsp;Travis (Missy) Phifer, of Thornton, CO, and their two children, Makaela&nbsp;and Kyle Phifer; brothers, Tom (Mona) Phifer, and Ken (Patty) Phifer, all of North Platte; three nieces, a nephew and other family.Visitation will be Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Odean Colonial&nbsp;Chapel.&nbsp; Funeral Service will be 11 a.m. on Friday, February 14, at&nbsp;Odean Colonial Chapel, then keeping with John's wishes, cremation will&nbsp;follow the service.&nbsp; Inurnment with military honors will be at 11 a.m.&nbsp;on Saturday in Floral Lawns Memorial Gardens.&nbsp; Memorials are suggested&nbsp;to the North Platte Animal Shelter or Fur the Love of Paws.&nbsp; Odean&nbsp;Colonial Chapel at C &amp; Sycamore is in charge of arrangements.

John Clarence Phifer (1946-2020