John graduated from Thompson High School of Bellevue in 1961. He served his country honorably for 6 years in the Army National Reserves. While in the Reserves, John met the love of his life, Helen Spencer, at a tiny five and dime shop. They married in 1967 and enjoyed 47 years of marriage.
John was a jack of all trades. He started as a factory worker at Mansfield Tire and General Motors. He later owned and operated an Arco gas station where he started a corporation of E & T Trucking. Later, John chose long haul trucking and enjoyed the challenges of oversized loads. Wanting to be closer to home, John purchased Jim Kurtz Rolloff Affordable Dumpsters in 2004 and worked until he retired at the age of 78.
Competing in tractor pull competitions brought John great joy. He was mechanically inclined and had a knack for fixing things. John was known for being generous and having a giving heart. He could also be a no-nonsense kind of man and his friends would say he was subtle as a freight train.
He is survived by his children, Shawn (Cathy) Laux, Teresa Laux and Julia Laux of Mansfield; sister Norma Jean Fritz of Bucyrus; grandchildren, Joshua Laux and Olivia Laux; nephew Brian (Karen) Fritz of Upper Sandusky; niece Carrie (Jamie) Betts of New Washington; and nieces once removed, Bailey, Aubrey, Rachael and Leah.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Helen Laux; his parents; sister, Luealla Sue (John) Kramer of Green Springs; brother-in-law Lester “Butch” Fritz, and sister-in-law Sharon Spencer of Mt Vernon.
The family will receive friends from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 30, 2025, at Wappner Funeral Directors-Mansfield, 98 S. Diamond Street. The funeral service will be on Monday March 31, 2025, at 11:00 a.m., with an hour of visitation before at Wappner Funeral Directors-Mansfield, 98 S. Diamond Street with Pastor Matthew Pond officiating. Burial will be at Mansfield Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research or The Richand County Humane Society.
