John Alden Aldrich

John Alden Aldrich of Emporia was born September 10, 1945, in Rockford, Illinois to Dale Aldrich and Pauline (Ferguson) Aldrich. He passed away in Emporia, Kansas on September 23, 2026, at the age of 81. Preceded in death by his parents, and brothers Vernon, Charles, and Fred “Owen” Aldrich, and sister-in-law Kris Aldrich. He is survived by brother Larry (Patty) Aldrich; 4 nieces and 2 nephews, and their children.

Known as Alden in childhood, he attended elementary and high school in Osborne, Kansas. He attended Kansas University for one year, where he went by John. John was inducted into the U.S. Army in 1965. He served one tour in Vietnam prior to his honorable discharge in 1967. Following his service, he attended Automation Institute in California to learn computer programming. He subsequently worked for various telecom companies as a programmer. He retired to his home in Everett, Washington until moving back to Kansas in 2010. John was a very private individual, a voracious and thoughtful reader, and an engaging conversationalist once one got to know him. His closest relationships were with his immediate family and fellow residents at Horizon Plaza Apartments in Emporia, notably his buddy Francis. John was an extremely generous person, having donated frequently and generously to Salvation Army, Ks Food Bank, DAV, Smile Train, and many others. A fitting tribute to John would be to follow his example and support a humanitarian charity of your choice. Cremation is planned with a private family service at Custer Cemetery in Smith County, KS at a later date. You can leave online condolences at www.robertsblue.com