John W. Huemoeller

Preceded in death by his wife, June. Survived by their 3 children John, Mark and Elizabeth (Jeff), 4 grandchildren Jeffrey (Laurie), Kristen, Savannah and Mackenzie and 2 great grandchildren, Lilah and Sawyer. John was born in Winona, Minnesota to Elmer Huemoeller and Olga Johnson Huemoeller. John was preceded in death by a younger brother Sonny who died in the early 1930’s at 2 years old and his older sister Kathryn who recently died in October of 2018 at the age of 96.

John grew up during the Great Depression in Southern Minnesota living and moving to different places as his father who was a carpenter could find work. They lived in Winona, Northrup, and near George Lake where he learned to ice skate and swim. During the winter he used to ice skate around the lake to find wood to help heat the house and learned to be frugal. He also learned to play hockey and although usually the smallest player on the ice John could skate circles around anyone with the puck. To the day he died he carried his U.S. Amateur Hockey Association Member card playing for the Mankato Vikings Hockey Team. When later on in life meeting Gordie Howe they talked for an hour about the good old days of hockey and exchanged an elbow.

John graduated from Harlan High School in Harlan, Iowa in 1945. He enlisted shortly thereafter in the U.S. Army in WWII, and was Honorably Discharged in October 1947. John then began his 40-year career in the banking business in Menominee, Michigan, and then to Citizen’s Bank of Mankato where he met the love of his life, his wife June. They were married on June 28, 1953 in Judson, MN and moved into their house in Mankato where they had their first son John in 1955. They moved St. Louis Park, Minnesota where John worked at the bank and they had their second son Mark in 1958. They then moved to southern Minnesota and they had their precious daughter Elizabeth in 1960.

John was a member of the Minnesota Bankers Association, past President of the American Institute of Banking’s Minnesota Chapter. In 1965, He became a graduate of the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin. In March of 1971, a sole gunman robbed the Rochester State Bank where John worked as a Vice President. He was at a board meeting upstairs and upon hearing the news ran down and chased the robber in the parking lot, while being shot at several times. He continued giving chase until he was able to get a description of the get away vehicle. When the police came he rode along on the chase that lasted some 15 miles where the police captured the robber. John was given a reward after the FBI commended him for his help in apprehending the criminal.

John became a banking turn-around expert and became President of the First National Bank of Florence, Colorado in 1977. In 1982 John and June moved to Scott City, Kansas where he took over as President of the First National Bank of Scott City, Kansas, retiring at age 67, and moving to Golden, Colorado where John and June built their dream house.

John had a marvelous voice and loved to sing at the piano bar with friends and family and did so even until he was 88 years old. If he had not gone in to banking he could have “made it” as a singer. He was an avid Minnesota Vikings football fan having gone to the very first game in 1961 where the underdog Vikings beat the Chicago Bears. John will now have to watch the Vikings win the Super Bowl from the sidelines in Heaven.

John was a past President of Holy Cross Lutheran Church. He was active in Jaycees, American Legion and Elks and was a Director of the Olmsted County Chapter of the American Cancer Society

John loved the mountains and spending time with his family. In particular the family would take long driving vacations to the Black Hills, Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons and the Sandre de Cristo ranges. He will be missed by his friends and family.

Memorial Services will be held on November 20, 2018 at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, 13119 W 20th Ave, Golden, Co 80401.