Born November 22, 1933 (11/22/33!) in Rochester, Minnesota. Died January 20, 2024, in Fort Collins, Colorado, 90 years old, leaving behind Gail, his loving wife of 65 years.
Also remaining are children Pam (David Wolf) in Edwards, CO, and Michael (Nikki) in Denver. Grandchildren are Ben Wolf, Denver; Jonah Wolf, Wanaka, New Zealand; Hannah (Zach Ratzlaff), Durham, NC; Maria (Anthony Campobasso), Chicago; great-grandchildren AJ and Elaina Campobasso. Also, grandchildren Katie Maloney and CJ Maloney, Denver.
John grew up in Madison, Wisconsin, skiing in the winter and racing E-Scow sailboats in the summer on Lake Mendota. He attended Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin, but transferred to the University of Wisconsin, Madison after his father died at the young age of 55. John was also a member of ROTC in the Air Force. After UW, John went straight to medical school, following in his father's footsteps, attending the University of Toronto, and specializing in Urology. He met Gail Ganong on a blind date soon after starting at UofT, where she was a freshman. They were married right after graduating and daughter, Pam was born a few years later.
John was sent by the Air Force to Valdosta, Georgia during the Cuban Missile Crisis where he was Head of Surgery at Moody Air Force Base, straight out of Residency. Son, Michael was born there. Once he left the Air Force, John and Gail moved back to Madison, Wisconsin where he went into private practice. During the anti-Vietnam War riots in Madison in the late 1960s, John and Gail decided to move to Colorado, settling in Fort Collins, then a town of 45,000 people. John was the second Urologist in town, starting Urology Associates, which today is the UC Health Urology Clinic, and he was instrumental in bringing prostate ultrasound and lithotripsy to the state.
John and Gail raced MC-16 sailboats around the area each summer. When not sailing, they were backpacking somewhere or skiing in Vail. John retired at age 64 and they sold the dream house they had built (partially by themselves) on Terry Lake. They bought a 62' ocean-going Nordhavn Trawler, named it Rover, with a hailing port of Fort Collins, Colorado. In 2001, they left from Dana Point, California, spent winter 2002 in New Zealand, winter 2003 in Thailand, winter 2004 in Malta, winter 2005 in Barcelona, and winter 2006 in London. Many, many adventures were had over those years and a sense of wanderlust was instilled in John and Gail's grandchildren as the kids enjoyed vacations on the boat all over the world.
After boating, John and Gail moved to Denver and bought a new Morgan Plus 8 sportscar, leading groups of Morganeers across the US and Canada over the next 10 years. John also built and flew Model RC airplanes. He was never without a project! After the onset of John's dementia, John and Gail moved back to Fort Collins where he enjoyed several peaceful years.
John left a wonderful legacy to live one's life by: Life is an Adventure, Go For It!!