Funeral services for 91-year-old John Arthur Stoesz of Mountain Lake, Minnesota, will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, February 3, 2015, at the Community Bible Church in Mountain Lake, located at 500 Klein Street.
Interment will be in Mountain Lake City Cemetery, located at 10th Street North at Midway Road.
Pastor Dan Keegan will be officiant for the services.
Visitation will be held at the church the day of the funeral service from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Sturm Funeral Home-Mountain Lake Chapel is handling the funeral arrangements.
John Stoesz passed away on Saturday, January 31, 2015, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
John Arthur Stoesz was born in Mountain Lake on December 18, 1923, the son of John C. and Aganetha (Quiring) Stoesz. John grew up in Mountain Lake and attended country school.
He married Evelyn Loewens on June 20, 1946 in Mountain Lake. John worked at Balzer Manufacturing in Mountain Lake, and later became a partner in the business with his uncle, Abe Balzer. He also farmed east of Bingham Lake for four years. He bought into the local Ford dealership and eventually became the sole owner and operated the dealership for 26 years.
After he retired, John enjoyed doing fall and spring seasonal farm work for several local farmers. John also enjoyed golfing, reading and coffee with friends. One of John’s greatest joys was spending time with his wife, children and grandchildren.
John joined the Mennonite Brethren Church in 1937, where he served in many capacities over the years, including Sunday School Superintendent, teacher, Trustee, Council member, Deacon, Chair of the building committee, church treasurer and as a vocalist in the church choir.
John also served his community on city council, hospital board and nursing home board. He was also a member of the local Rotary club.
His priorities were his faith, his wife and his family.
John is survived by his children, Janelle Stoesz (Fred Wilkinson) of Phoenix, Arizona, Craig (Myra) Stoesz of Mound, Minnesota and Wendell Stoesz of Chicago, Illinois; four grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, siblings, Luella Harder, Elizabeth Tieszen, Ed (Shirley) Tieszen and Tillie (Rich) Quiring and a sister-in-law; Peggy Stoesz.
Preceding him in death were his wife; parents; brother, Harold and brother-in-law, Les Harder.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Mountain Lake Food Shelf.