Jon Lee Batters

Jon Lee Batters was born on October 15, 1948, in St. Paul, Minnesota; his life cut short by his unexpected death on Wednesday, August 29, 2018.
He was the second born to Evelyn T. (Lee) and Louis W. Batters. Jon is survived by his sister, Sharon (Sissy) Peden of Kent, Washington.
Jon spent his formative years in St. Paul, Minnesota. After high school, when scoring exceptionally high in electronics aptitude and a timely search by ITT (seeking students for the Minneapolis Electronic Institute), lead to a degree in 1969 and launched Jon’s life direction.
His time at ITT garnered Jon a position as part of the NASA Support Team (based on the USS Redstone off the Hawaiian Islands) for the first Lunar Landing Mission in 1969. Later in 1969, ITT sent Jon to the U.S. Air Force Base at Thule Greenland. Upon leaving ITT, he returned to the states.
After the death of his father, Jon got on his motorcycle and headed for Whitefish, Montana, with the intent of “visiting” his sister, Sissy. Instead, he bought a house, adopted a cat, and took a job as a radio engineer! Later, and on the move once again, a job at GE Medical Systems in Portland, Oregon with their job opening in Grants Pass enticed him to move. He set down roots there, having a love for the mountains and surrounding landscape.
In mid 1987, he took a position at Josephine Hospital (currently known as Asante Three Rivers Medical Center) as their in-house Imaging Engineer, staying till retirement in 2014. Jon was an indispensable addition, and affectionately called “Mr. Wizard” by all the staff at the hospital.
It is in Grants Pass that Jon met and married Lynna Murray in 1994. Sadly, Lynna passed away in August of 2004 from breast cancer. Jon and Lynna did not have children together, however, Lynna is survived by two sons from a previous marriage (Issac and Gabe) that reside in Oregon.
Jon was an intelligent, kind, giving and funny individual who had a ferocious appetite for research and knowledge. His interests were extensive, from his love of music and dancing - he was an avid attendee at the well known Vitality Center - to his gift as an amazing story teller. Jon will be missed by those whose path he imprinted.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, October 20, 2018, at 1 p.m. at Hull and Hull Funeral Home, 612 NW A Street, Grants Pass. Please join us to share in remembering Jon’s life well lived and to share stories.