John Loren Riddle 1956 - 2017
HOFFMAN, RIDDLE, GANZEVOORT, REIS
Posted By: Connie Swearingen-volunteer (email)
Date: 2/15/2017 at 07:25:02
Sioux City Journal
11 February 2017ONAWA, Iowa | John L. Riddle, 60, of Onawa, died unexpectedly Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2017.
Services will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Faith Lutheran Church in Onawa, with Vicar Shari Schwedhelm and Rev. Joel Gueningsman, officiating. Burial will be in Kennebec Cemetery, Castana, Iowa, with military rites provided by the U. S. Navy and American Legion Grimsley-Thayer Post 502 of Castana. Visitation will be 5 to 8 p.m. Monday, with a prayer service at 7 p.m. at Rush Family Care Service in Onawa.
John Loren was born on March 5, 1956, in Denison, Iowa, son of Loren Robert and June Ellen (Hoffman) Riddle. He grew up in the Castana area, where he attended school. He graduated from Maple Valley High School in 1974. He then attended NWICC in Sheldon, Iowa, where he earned a degree in diesel mechanics. He joined the U.S. Navy on Feb. 22, 1977, and served on the USS Denver. He was honorably discharged on Oct. 13, 1978, after the death of his first wife, Vivian.
John was united in marriage to his first love, Vivian Ganzevoort on April 30, 1977. She preceded him in death on Aug. 1, 1978. In the fall of 1978, he met Betty, his one true love, at a truck stop in North Dakota, where she taught him how to eat. John and Betty Jean Reis were united in marriage on April 25, 1980 at Faith Lutheran Church in Onawa.
Some of the things John accomplished in his life were being a diesel mechanic for Condon Freightliner and being a boiler technician for the State of Iowa. But his one true calling was driving semi. He started this 40 year career as a driver for the U.S. Mail Service, Kirkpatrick Trucking, Rathjen Trucking, Schuster Inc., and finally Johnsrud Trucking out of Des Moines.
The things John enjoyed the most were black smithing, camping, fishing, Boy Scouts, playing in his woodshop building things, and getting to help his son-in-law's family farming. What he loved the most was spending time with his children and especially his grandchildren: teaching them to drive, how to use tools properly, playing and building trains, and camping and fishing with them, amongst the many other things they did together.
John was a member of Faith Lutheran Church in Onawa, where he served very diligently.
Survivors include his wife, Betty Riddle of Onawa; his children, Brad (Trudy) Ganzevoort of Webb, Iowa, Rachel Johnson of Spencer, Iowa, Abigail (Greg) Arens of Remsen, Iowa, and Lauren (Bill) Splitter of Whiting, Iowa; grandchildren, Kaitlin VanLangen, Dalton Scott, Alexis Schlinder, David Ganzevoort, Emaly Ganzevoort, Kendrix Johnson, Nadine Johnson, Kailey Arens, Ella Arens, Blaine Arens, Byron Splitter, and Brady Splitter; his mother, June Riddle of Onawa; brother, Mark (Tonya) Riddle of Castana; two sisters, Jane (Rob) Rumohr of Fargo, N.D., and Lora Riddle of Sioux City; and many brothers and sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives, and friends.
He was preceded in death by his father, Loren Riddle; first wife, Vivian Riddle; and stepfather, Merle Savage.
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