John E. Bako, a/k/a "Big Ass Kicking Ogre," died in his home last Friday, while his daughters, Katie and Athena had gone for a walk. His wife Sam tried to comfort him, but after a rough battle with pancreatic cancer, he wanted "out!" John was born to the late John and Ellen Bako in Cleveland Ohio. He is survived by his siblings Maria Richards, Bill Bako, Mikki Bako Sorensen, Margie McClellan, and Steve Bako, as well as, his wife Sam and his daughters Katie and Athena. After high school John turned down a full scholarship to Cornell University and proudly served six years in the U.S.Navy on SSN-679 (USS Silversides) as a nuclear pro-pulsion operator. He commonly referred to this as being locked in a sardine can with a bunch of stinky guys. John received honors for good conduct, "E" award, an Ice De-ployment Ribbon w/1 star, and achieved the rank of E6 before being honorably dis-charged in March 1982. John took all his nuclear knowledge into the workforce, working at power plants such as Davis Bessie, Fermi, Mound and Hanford. All the while, John was fixing up everything that could go wrong in a home: from air conditioning and aesthetics, to plumbing, weep holes and wiring harnesses — teaching us as much as we could care to learn along the way. There were many things John witnessed and experienced in his military career that he could neither confirm nor deny, like the existence of Santa at the North Pole or the Kraken at 20,000 leagues under the sea … and with his passing I guess we will never know. If you wish to honor the life of one of the most intelligent, understanding and lov-ing men God created, his services are as follows: Location: Muellers Greenlee Funeral Home 1608 West Court St. Pasco 99301. Viewing: Friday 7-27-18 from Noon to 3p.m. and 7p.m. to 9 p.m. Funeral: Saturday 7-28-18 at 3p.m. We will host a gathering of family and friends at the house following the funeral; nothing too fancy as he was a man of simple taste. All we ask is that you not wear black, as John loved colors and wanted his death to be cause for celebration of his life.