John C. Land

10/12/1931 – 8/22/2021
John Clyde Land of Yuma passed away on Aug. 22, 2021, at 89 in Tucson, Ariz.
John Land was blessed with a supportive family, great friends and a devotion to the law. Right after high school, he enlisted in the US Navy and served in the Korean War, and at the age of 22 he began his journey in the pursuit of justice. Starting his career at the St. Louis Police Department, he went on to serve in the US Border Patrol, US Customs, US Immigration, and finally the first DEA class in the country. He received his pilot’s license in Yuma, Ariz. He then transferred to Douglas, Ariz, and onward to Manhattan, N.Y., where he was dedicated to the war on drugs. Retiring in Yuma at 52, it was his goal to play golf every day from then on until he grew tired of it…which he did for the next 30-plus years.
His life with Alice was adventurous and took them to places all over the country. John and Alice were soulmates, married a glorious 60 years. Their relationship was genuine in all aspects of love, joy and respect. John Land was a fair and honorable man, liked and loved by many. He preached that telling your story truthfully meant you would never have to memorize it. When asked if he could do his life all over again, what would he have changed: he paused, “I would not have changed a thing.” It’s been a wonderful life. Cheers to you, John! He was a member of American Legion Post 19.
John was born in Bourbon, Mo., at his home to Jack and Caroline Land. He had one brother (Ed) and one sister (Barbara Lou).
John is predeceased by his wife (Alice) and is survived by his sons Tony (Lynette) and Tom Land (Carolyn), daughter Karen Land King (Jay Marr), grandchildren Jennifer, Tyler (Jaclyn), Mara and John Thomas Land, Lindsay and Karli King, and great-granddaughters Azalea King and Elizabeth Land.