Dennis S. John, age 83, passed away unexpectedly on February 1, 2021 in Tucson, Arizona.

Dennis Steven John was born December 6, 1937 in a farmhouse near Browerville, Minnesota, the youngest of nine children, to Anna (Motzko) and Stanley John. He attended a community school where he claimed he was the top in his class, though he admitted there were only two students in his grade. He graduated from Browerville High School in 1955, served in the U.S. Army and was honorably discharged with a rank of staff sergeant in 1961, and earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from St. Cloud State University in 1962.

Also in 1962, he married Luella "Lou" Reiter, who he met on a blind date to play tennis at the College of St. Benedict. He told his roommate, after that first meeting, that he was going to marry her. They were married for 58 ½ years and were constant companions to each other.

Dennis and Lou moved to Amery, Wisconsin in 1967. Except for about 10 years in banking, Dennis was self-employed in financial planning and real estate for most of his career. He served many families in the Amery area, and several have come forth to express their gratitude for how Dennis helped them with financial or real estate matters during difficult times. He approached his work not as a set of transactions, but as a matter of trust and care for people and relationships.

Dennis was very active in the Amery community. He often said he planned to "slow down," but he was not very good at that. Over the years, he served as Amery Community Club president, district vice president for the Wisconsin Realtors Association, and a volunteer in the Amery Fire Department. He was named Realtor of the Year (twice) and Fireman of the Year during his service. He also was a licensed private pilot, was active in land development and home remodeling in the region, and enjoyed hobby farming, fishing, and deer hunting.

Dedication to his faith was also important to Dennis. He served as president of the Newman Club in college, was a charter Grand Knight of the Amery Knights of Columbus Council, and served on the Parish Council, Finance Council, and Long Range Planning Committee for St. Joseph's Catholic Church. He was an active Lector and Eucharistic Minister beginning in 1964.

Lou and Dennis purchased a second home in Tucson Estates, Arizona in 2002 and began spending the winter months there. With friends from across the United States and Canada, Dennis enjoyed hiking, tennis, golf, pickleball, and social activities up to his last days.

Dennis is survived by his wife Luella (Reiter) John; their children, Monica John (Paul Jensen; children, Josh, Felicia, and Olivia Jensen); Rebecca John (Cameron LeCocq); Kelly John Haugen (Jeff Haugen); and Joel John (Trina John); their grandchildren, Ella Haugen and Iver Haugen; and Dennis's brothers Eugene, Gerald, and Rudolph John. He is preceded in death by his parents; brothers Roman, Edward, Ervin, and Victor John; and sister Florence (John) Rischmiller.

A private family service will be held in Amery during February. Arrangements were made with the Williamson-White Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Amery. Dennis requested that any memorials in his name go to support Feed My Starving Children, 401 93rd Avenue NW, Coon Rapids, MN 55433, or St. Joseph's Catholic Church, 1050 Keller Ave N, Amery, WI 54001. The family also welcomes memorials to your local food shelf or your preferred charity. A Funeral Mass will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, July 31, 2021 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Amery with burial to follow at the Amery Cemetery.  An Open House will be held from 1 to 4:00 pm on Saturday, July 31, 2021 at the Danielson Stage, 132 Central St., Amery.  Please attend the event as you feel comfortable and please follow current public health guidelines.  For maps and additional information, see DennisJohnCelebration.com.

You can email Luella at:

dearjohn424@gmail.com