SFC (RET) Joe Nathan Cain

Joe Nathan Cain, 93, passed away at home on October 30, 2026. He was born on September 8, 1933, to Luther and Dona Cain. His family remembers him for how hard he worked, how faithfully he served his country, and how deeply he loved his wife and family.

Joe completed the eighth grade before leaving school to help support his family. He took on that responsibility at a young age, and the same willingness to work hard and care for the people he loved stayed with him throughout his life.

Joe served in the United States Army for 23 years across two periods of service, attaining the rank of Sergeant First Class. He served in Vietnam and received numerous military decorations, including the Bronze Star Medal and the Vietnam Service Medal.

After his military service, Joe worked for Goodyear Tire and Rubber in Topeka, Kansas, for 20 years before retiring.

On April 14, 1956, Joe married the love of his life, Bessie Henderson, in Adams County, Mississippi. They shared 70 years of marriage. His devotion to Bessie was at the heart of their life together, and the family they built over those seven decades was one of his greatest joys.

Joe was a devoted husband and a loving father, grandpa, and great-grandpa. He had a calm, serious manner and a no-nonsense way of looking at things, and those who knew him well also knew how much he enjoyed a good laugh and a good time. As a father, Joe enjoyed spending time with each of his children and sharing what he knew. He taught his sons how to work on everything from their bicycles and motorcycles to their cars once they were old enough to drive. Taking the time to teach was one of the ways he showed his children he cared.

Joe took great pride in his Army service and in the family he and Bessie built together.

Joe was happiest doing the things he loved, whether he was out fishing, cooking on the grill, or listening to music. And when the Kansas City Chiefs were playing, they could count on Joe to be cheering them on.

Joe is survived by his wife, Bessie Cain, and his son, Patrick Cain (Angela Cain). His surviving grandchildren are Christopher Cain, Joshua Cain, and Nicole Cain (all of Topeka, KS), Tyler Cain (Junction City, KS), Mathew Evertson (Hickory, NC), Guadalupe Cruz II (Topeka, KS), and Angelina Cruz (Ft. Worth, TX). He is also survived by 20 great-grandchildren and his brother, Luther Cain.

He was preceded in death by his son, Bruce Cain, his daughter, Carol Cain, his parents, Luther and Dona Cain, and twenty-one siblings.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Johnson & Mass-Hinitt Funeral Home, 203 N. Washington St., Junction City, Kansas. The funeral service will be held at the same location on Thursday, November 12, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to noon. A graveside service will follow from 1:00 to 1:30 p.m. at Kansas Veterans’ Cemetery, 5181 Wildcat Creek Road, Manhattan, Kansas.

Joe will be dearly missed. His family will remember the quiet strength he brought to their lives, the laughter they shared with him, and the love he showed in the everyday ways he cared for them.