A funeral service for John Nystrom, age 75, of Spirit Lake, was held Friday, August 14, 2020, at the outside worship area of First Lutheran Church in West Okoboji. Visitation was on Thursday, August 13 at Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Spirit Lake.
John Bjorn Nystrom, the son of Lillian Beatrice (Johnson) and Carl Gustaf Nystrom, was born January 25, 1945 in Decorah, Iowa. He graduated from South Winneshiek High School in 1963, Luther College in 1967 and Ball State University in 1968 receiving his masters in Speech Pathology.
On July 21, 1973, John was married to Julie Ann Galles in Redwood Falls, Minnesota. John and Julie resided in Worthington, Minnesota for forty-four years where John was employed as a speech and language pathologist for Lakeview School and the Worthington School District. John and Julie moved to Spirit Lake in 2017 and together they enjoyed traveling and took many trips after retirement. John enjoyed fishing and hunting his entire life. He was an avid gardener and loved sharing his produce with friends and neighbors. One of his favorite things was taking his grandchildren in his boat and teaching them to fish. He loved attending all of his daughter’s and grandchildren’s activities and was always there to support them. John was a devoted husband, a loving father and a wonderful grandfather.
John was a member of the Jaycees, Pheasants Forever, Ducks Unlimited, Okabena Ocheda Watershed Board and attended the First Lutheran Church in West Okoboji.
John passed away August 5, 2020, on the North Shore in Minnesota at seventy-five years of age.
He is survived by his wife, Julie Nystrom of Spirit Lake; daughter, Krista Nystrom Roos (Adam) of Spirit Lake; grandchildren, Benjamin, Kathryn, Max and William Roos; cousin, Oline Stigers of Cedar Rapids; niece, Amy Hamlet of San Antonio, Texas.
John was preceded in death by his parents, Carl and Lillian Nystrom; aunts, Ester Bjonerud and Emma Nystrom; sister-in-law, Marcia Waugh and brother-in-law, Thomas Waugh.
Turner Jenness Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.