John Richard Stratton, of Marinette, WI, beloved husband and father, passed away peacefully on October 28, 2022 at Rennes Health Center West in Peshtigo, WI. He was 87 years old.
John was born on November 19th, 1934, in Waupaca, WI. He attended Luther College, UW-Madison and graduated from UW-Stevens Point. In 1954, John volunteered for the draft and was stationed in Fort Leonard Wood Missouri, then Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, TX. His military experience included time in Germany where he served as an Army medic in the 4th Medical Co., 4th Infantry Division in Frankfurt and Bad Nauheim. John spent many years in Waupaca, raising five children before moving to Marinette, WI. Even after he left, Waupaca was always near and dear to his heart.
John was a gifted athlete. One of his fondest memories was winning the Waupaca Country Club championship in 1969. As the founder of the Stratton hole-in-one club, John loved to tease to his “non-member” children. Curling also brought John great joy. His role as skip earned him the nickname “Soup,” short for “Super Skip.” He had a wicked sense of humor and was an avid storyteller. As a WI sports fan, his allegiance to the Badgers and Packers depended largely on their wins and losses, never hesitating to add expert color commentary to what he deemed a mediocre outing. Most of all, John had a kind and tender heart. He will be missed beyond measure.
John is survived by his wife Marjorie and her family, children Teri Stratton, Lori Frank, Peter Stratton, Jody Fisher and Stephanie Stratton. His parents, Ollie and Louise Stratton, sister Sally Webster, and second wife, Emmi, predecease him. He also leaves behind precious grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and step-children.
The family wishes to express deep gratitude for the care that John received at Rennes and from Unity Hospice. The funeral with be held on November 11, 2022 at Cadieu Funeral Home in Menominee, MI. Visitation begins at 10:00 with the memorial service to follow at 11:00.