Loving husband for over 60 years of Miriam Sidenstick; cherished father of Jon (Debbie Bock) Sidenstick, Karen (Robert) Hammer, and Stephen (Cathy) Sidenstick; proud grandfather of Timothy, Samantha, Jillian, and Kaeli; loving great-grandfather of Mikey and Mason; fond uncle, cousin, and friend of many.
John was born in Chicago, Illinois to his loving parents Edgar and Catherine Sidenstick. As the son of a traveling salesman he lived in Chicago, Des Moines, IA and Lansing, MI during his childhood. His high school years were spent in part in Mt. Pulaski, IL where he played baseball and enjoyed theater. He attended the University of Illinois-Urbana starting in a pre-med program, but found, through a fraternity brother, an interest in and then aptitude for, accounting.
He served as a 1st Lieutenant in the Army during the Korean War and was stationed in Greenland to help build an airstrip, which sparked a brief interest in flying when he returned to college. Upon completing his Bachelors in Accounting from U of I, he earned his CPA and initially worked as an auditor advancing through the years to the executive level of a food service corporation, overseeing changes in accounting from manual- to computer-based approaches. He used his professional skills outside of work to provide leadership and sound fiscal practices to professional organizations, and in retirement to homeowners associations and sailing clubs.
John was a loving husband and father and was always engaged with his family in their activities at home and school and beyond. He played spirited games of “horse” in the driveway with his children and their friends, pitched to the kids in a game of baseball, and played floor hockey in the basement. His famously competitive ping pong matches went well into his 80’s, and most of his children couldn’t beat him until he was in his 70’s. John loved spending time in the outdoors with his friends and family and was an avid photographer, tennis player and sailor—as he got older, the boats got bigger. He enjoyed many pleasant and a few slightly treacherous hours sailing on his last boat “Diversion.” John also loved traveling and often combined his love of sports and photography with canoeing and camping trips, and in long tennis weekends with extended family. John and his wife Miriam traveled to all of the lower 48 States, and parts of Canada, Mexico, and Europe, and they shared that enthusiasm for adventure with their grandchildren.
John was preceded in death by his brother, James.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, July 20th, from 12:00pm to 5:00pm at Blake Lamb Funeral Home, 5015 Lincoln Avenue (Hwy 53), Lisle, Illinois 60532. Interment private. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Dementia Society of America, www.dementiasociety.org, or to the charity of your choice. For more information, please call (630) 964-9392.
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