Wiest, John Francis 1934 - 2019
WIEST, LEIBOLD, KALA, ENGLISH, JONES, VOLLMECKE, BANASIK
Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 11/15/2019 at 14:12:40
John Wiest, age 85, of Spillville, IA died on Monday, November 4, 2019 at the Ossian Senior Hospice in Ossian, IA.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, November 9, 2019 at the St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Spillville, with Fr. Donald Hawes presiding. Burial will be in the church cemetery.
Visitation will be from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. on Friday, November 8, 2019 at the St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Spillville and also after 10:00 a.m. on Saturday morning at the church. There will be a rosary at 4:00 p.m. and a scripture service at 7:00 p.m. on Friday.
Memorials may be made in John’s memory to the Ossian Senior Hospice, Hospice of Winneshiek County or the Adrian Dominican Sisters, 1257 E. Siena Heights Dr., Adrian, MI 49221
John Francis Wiest was born on May 23, 1934 the son of John A. and Eda (Leibold) Wiest in Fort Atkinson, IA. He attended St. John’s grade school and Fort Atkinson High School. He went on to attend Loras College for one year and the University of Iowa for two years before General Motors hired him. On June 23, 1956 he married Patricia Kala at St. Wenceslaus in Spillville.
John began a 29-year career with General Motors in September 1955 at the Chevrolet plant in Janesville WI. In 1965 he was promoted and transferred to the new plant in Lordstown OH as the senior supervisor of data processing operations. In 1973 he was promoted as the general supervisor of systems development and transferred to the GM Technical Center in Warren MI. He moved his family to Rochester MI in 1974.
In 1985 General Motors purchased EDS from Ross Perot and John was reassigned to work in the new GM subsidiary. A highlight of John’s time with EDS was a personal call from Ross Perot congratulating him for the successful launch of the GM 25 Project which produced the Beretta and Corsica cars.
John retired in 1994 at age 60 years after 29 years with GM and 10 years with EDS. John and Pat moved back to Iowa in 1995.
In addition to being involved in his family’s activities, he was involved in his church where he served as lector, Eucharistic Minister, on the finance council, and on various fundraising groups. He started a new Cub Pack in Canfield OH and served as Cubmaster for 3 years. In his retirement he served on the Spillville City Council for 5 years; treasurer for Spillville Historical Action Group (SHAG),13 yrs; Bily Clocks committeeman, 3 yrs; board member of South Winn Country Club, 3 yrs; chair of the golf tournament, 6 yrs; and Citizens Savings Bank board member,17 yrs.
John’s hobbies included playing cards, golfing, and collecting and creating model cars and trucks. He enjoyed doing lawn work and washing his vehicles. He was an avid Hawkeye fan.
John is survived by his wife Pat of Spillville. Children: Sr. Jeanne Wiest OP, St. Paul, MN; Kathy English, Naples, FL; Robert (Sheri) Wiest, Macomb, MI; Dan (Lynette Jones) Wiest, Detroit, MI and Greg Wiest, Rochester Hills, MI. Granddaughter: Christina English, Rochester Hills, MI. Sisters-in-law: Susie Vollmecke, Romeoville, IL; Dorothy Kala, Leonard, MI and Carol Kala, Berwyn, IL; along with nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents: John A. and Eda (Leibold) Wiest. Brothers and sisters-in-law: Melvin and Dorothy Jean Wiest, Linus and Anna Mae Wiest and brother Kenneth in infancy. Father and mother-in-law: Fritz and Marcella (Banasik) Kala. Brothers-in-law: Fred Kala, William Kala and Matt Vollmecke. Nephew: Michael Vollmecke.
Source: Schluter-Balik Funeral Home database
St. Wenceslaus Cemetery
Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Bruce Kuennen.
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