John Haupt, age 93
John Mathew Haupt died May 7, 2016, in Minneapolis. Born September 5, 1922, on the family farm to Nicholas and Frances (Biehl) Haupt, John attended Arlington schools and St. John’s University in Collegeville. Before his senior year in 1943, he left to join the US Navy where he served as a Lieutenant Junior Grade in both the Atlantic and Pacific aboard Landing Ship, Tank (LST) 616.
While waiting to ship out from New Orleans in late 1943, John purchased an engagement ring for his sweetheart, Janet Lucille Dvorak, the only daughter of Wenceslaus ‘Jim’ and Sophia (Rynda) Dvorak of Montgomery. He sent it to Janet’s father asking for her hand in marriage and they married on August 3, 1946. Graduation from Saint John’s in June, 1947, occurred one day before the birth of his first son, Gregory.
John taught history at Huntley, MN, High School and coached the Huntley basketball team from 1947 to 1950. In 1950, John and Janet made the decision to leave teaching for the Green Giant Company in Watertown. This led to subsequent Green Giant assignments in Winsted, Blue Earth, and Le Sueur, all in southern Minnesota, and Rosendale and, finally, Ripon, in eastern Wisconsin.
A highlight of John’s coaching avocation in Winsted, MN was his Holy Trinity High School basketball team placing fourth in the state Catholic High School Tournament in 1952.
Le Sueur, and the Valley of the Jolly Green Giant, were home for 11 years. He was plant superintendent there for five years, although some will remember him also as a vintner of renowned garden rhubarb wine. Green Giant subsequently transferred John to eastern Wisconsin where, after retiring from plant superintendent duties at Rosendale and Ripon, he served 12 years as Ripon’s mayor. In 1996, he and Janet returned to Le Sueur to be near family and to play Bridge with old friends.
John was a dedicated Catholic and an active member of the Knights of Columbus. He contributed to his communities on many levels, including more than 30 years of hospice volunteer service in Le Sueur and Ripon. He was a proud member of the Rotary Club and leader in two communities. He cared tenderly for Janet in Le Sueur until her death in 2002 from progressive supranuclear palsy.
John’s survivors include sons, Gregory Haupt (Cara Beames), Steven (Eva), Richard (partner, Heidi Blackburn); daughters, Mary (Doug Rabe), Patricia Haupt (partner, Jim Wygle), Margaret Haupt (Tom Herrera) and Australian “AFS daughter” Jill Campbell L’Estrange (Tim). He is also survived by granddaughters Elise Haupt (Reed Delapp), Beth Haupt and great-grandson Alex, Nora Robinson (Reed), as well as grandsons Anthony Haupt (partner, Michelle Chait) and Jonathan Haupt (Sarianna). Other survivors include Haupt and Dvorak nieces and nephews, as well as brothers-in-law Robert Dvorak and Earl Dvorak, and sisters-in-law Carolyn Dvorak and Mercedes Dvorak.
His brothers, Francis and Joseph, and sister, Bernice (Nix) are all deceased.
A Memorial Mass and celebration of John’s life is planned for Saturday, June 18, 11 a.m. at Saint Anne’s Catholic Church in Le Sueur. Visitation will be at the church from 9 a.m. to Mass time. Interment will follow in Calvary Cemetery, Le Sueur with Military Honors. Kolden Funeral Services is handling the arrangements.
