Life story Dr. John Wilson Petscher, age 65, of Madison, passed away suddenly on his farm, Sunday, February 27, 2011. Born October 26, 1945 in Cincinnati, Ohio, he was the son of Albert Rea and Helen Wilson Petscher. Dr. Petscher was raised in Aurora, Indiana and graduated from Aurora High School in 1963, where he played football, basketball and ran track. He was an Eagle Scout. He attended Indiana University where he was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon. He then enlisted in the United States Army in 1968, where he attended Engineer Officer Candidate School and Airborne School. He served with the 511th Military Intelligence Company, and was honorably discharged as a First Lieutenant. He then pursued a career in veterinary medicine and received a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine/Large and Small Animal from Purdue University in 1977. After graduation, he practiced in Dublin, Virginia for a short time before moving to Madison in 1979. He founded the Madison Animal Clinic in 1980, where he was owner and practitioner at the time of his death. Dr. Petscher was an active member of Christ Episopal Church. He had served as past president of the Madison Area Chamber of Commerce, president of the Salvation Army Board, on the Boy Scouts Council, past president of the E.O. Muncie PTO and as a board member of the Animal Shelter. He enjoyed horseback riding and aspired to be a cowboy. He was an avid reader. He completed the paper's crossword puzzle daily. He was a sports enthusiast and fan. He had participated in the Madison Courier 10K race almost every year during his time in Madison. His family said if he wasn't working at the clinic, he was at home, working outdoors, building fences, barns, or clearing brush. Survivors include his wife, Janis John Petscher, to whom he was married on June 15, 1968 in Plymouth, Indiana; three daughters: Dr. Jennifer Roney and her husband, Jay, of Madison, Julie Stewart and her husband, David of Winchester, Tennessee, and Dr. Joy Barron and her husband, Matthew of Madison; one son, John Jacob Wilson Petscher of Indianapolis, Indiana; one brother, William Petscher and his wife, Jennie of Terre Haute, Indiana; two sisters: Jean Petscher of Lawrenceburg, Indiana and Phyllis Ellinghausen, and her husband, Derald of Aurora, Indiana; five grandchildren: Liam, Kyle and Annalise Roney, Owen and Audrey Stewart; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents; and four aunts: Esther Roache, Norma Henderson, Marjorie Petscher and Rosemary Terrill. Funeral services will be conducted by Reverend Polk Culpepper at 11:00 AM Thursday, March 3, 2011 at Christ Episcopal Church. Friends and family may gather at Lytle Funeral Chapel from 5 to 8 PM Wednesday, March 2, 2011 and from 9 to 10:30 AM Thursday, March 3, 2011. The family requests memorial contributions be made to the Salvation Army, the Christian Veterinary Mission, Heifer, International, or the Jefferson County Animal Shelter. Contribution envelopes are available at the funeral home. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of John W. Petscher Dr., please visit our floral store.