John Stjern

**To view the service you may use this link: https://youtu.be/CjDw1guWDNg

John Stephen Stjern, beloved husband, father, and brother, passed away on December 28, 2021. He waged a brief war on cancer but ultimately succumbed to a rare secondary disease. He was 70 years old.

John was born on October 18, 1951, the second of five sons to Orville and Marie (Twedt) Stjern of Grand Forks, ND. He was a Grand Forks resident his entire life, attending Lincoln Elementary, South Junior High, and graduating from Central High School in 1969.

 While attending UND, John began working part-time at Grand Forks Supply. He later became a full-time employee, remaining in the automotive and industrial trade for the length of his career. He watched as GF Supply was acquired by Carquest, which later was acquired by Advance Auto Parts. All told, John was a 52-year employee when he retired in June 2021. He was the "go-to" guy for many farmers and equipment operators who depended on John's expertise in hydraulics. He loved helping customers solve problems, often by making custom hydraulic fittings. John was a loyal and hard-working employee, always thinking of his customers and coworkers.

 In 1976, John met his wife, Cheryl. They were married in 1981 at First Lutheran Church in East Grand Forks. John and Cheryl loved fishing together every summer on lakes in North Dakota, Minnesota, and Ontario. They also enjoyed renovating their small house on Chestnut Street and subsequent homes. In July 1990, John and Cheryl welcomed their beautiful daughter, Diane Julia.

John loved sports and was a natural athlete. He enjoyed playing hockey from an early age and continued through high school, after which he played with the Gerrell's team in city leagues and tournaments. John played several other sports over the years including golf, softball, and bowling. He was also a sportsman and enjoyed grouse and deer hunting. But his ultimate love was fishing. John spent many spring, summer, and fall days fishing, hunting, and primitive camping with his family and friends on any lake or river that caught their fancy. He loved being outdoors and the elements were just another challenge to overcome. In 1992, John and Cheryl bought a lake place on East Devils Lake. For almost 30 years, they loved going to the lake to fish, renovate, and relax.

Family was very important to John. When Diane and her husband Peter moved to India in 2013 to teach music at Woodstock International School, John and Cheryl traveled to Europe to vacation with the newlyweds and later to India to meet their first grandson. A second grandson was born in Texas in 2018. John enjoyed spending time with his grandsons, both in Texas and North Dakota. He was also very close with his four brothers and their extended families. There were many family get-togethers including spring and fall fishing trips and annual Stjern family reunions at Lake Bemidji. John was loved dearly by his family and will be greatly missed. His dry humor and kind spirit endeared him to all.

John is survived by his wife of 40 years, Cheryl of Grand Forks, ND; daughter, Diane (Peter) Millican of Temple, TX; and two grandsons, Isaac and Joshua. John is also survived by his four brothers: Jim of Ramsey, MN; Gary (Candi) of Grand Forks, ND; Chris (Cheryl) of Lino Lakes, MN; and Bob (Kathy) of Roseville, MN. John also leaves behind seven nieces and nephews, seven grandnieces and grandnephews, and numerous cousins. Preceding him in death were his maternal and paternal grandparents, his parents, and two sisters-in-law.

Visitation will be held at Amundson Funeral Home on Thursday, January 6, 2022 from 5:00-7:00 PM. A memorial service will follow at 7:00 PM. Inurnment will be held later in the spring.