Notes for: John ("Jack") Walter Bodin
From Ronny Bodine:
Obituary, Wright County Journal-Press (Buffalo, Minn.) of 21 May 2005.
John "Jack" Walter Bodin, 62 of Waverly, passed away Saturday, May 14, 2005 peacefully at home surrounded by his family, after a battle with cancer. Funeral services were held Tuesday, May 17 at St. John's Lutheran Church in Buffalo with Pastor Disney and Pastor Bode officiating. Interment was held at the Marysville Swedesburg Cemetery in rural Waverly. Jack was a faithful servant of the Lord. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, father-in-law, brother and friend. His Christian heart touched many lives. Jack made friends easily wherever he went. His genuine interest in people provided many opportunities of conversation - the gift of gab. Jack enjoyed hunting with his dogs, riding horse and his John Deere tractors. He so enjoyed the time spent with his 10 grandchildren. Jack was born in Wayzata on June 30, 1942, the oldest child of Walter and Harriet (Lenz) Bodin. Jack was baptized into the Lutheran faith on August 9, 1942 at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Montrose and confirmed September 30, 1956 at Zion Lutheran Church, Buffalo. Jack attended school in Buffalo, graduating from Buffalo High School in 1960. From 1960-1963 Jack served in the 101st Airborne Paratroopers and received a rank of Sergeant. Jack and Eileen Faye Bonk were united in marriage on February 13, 1965. Jack and Eileen lived in Waconia where Jack worked for the MN Valley Breeders Association. Carver County is where Jack began his law enforcement career as a reservist. In 1969 Jack joined the City of Buffalo Police Department. In 1970 Jack was asked by Sheriff Wolff to become a Deputy for Wright County. Jack received the rank of patrol Sergeant and had various duties including Range Officer, and was a member of the Scuba Diving Team, specializing in ice diving. He retired with thirteen years of service from the police force in 1983. Under the request of Sheriff Hozempa, Jack assisted in developing the Wright County Sheriff's Mounted Patrol in 1992 where he currently served as Captain. It was a great honor to be asked by Sheriff Miller to return to Law Enforcement by serving the citizens of Wright County as a Bailiff. He found much fulfillment in these three and a half years. In May of 1983 he took over the Registered Dairy Herd of Wavelo Farms from his uncles. In April 2001, after eighteen years, he retired from dairy farming. He served as an elder and on various church boards. Jack served many volunteer hours in Wright County. He served on the Marysville Township Board, Centra Sota Board, and Operation Round-Up. He was also on the American Dairy Association Board for Wright County and at the state level. Jack was preceded in death by his brother Daniel, killed in Vietnam; mother and father, Harriet and Walter; grandson Austin Vininski and father-in-law Ray Bonk. Jack is survived by his wife Eileen; children Minda (Mark) Vininski of Faribault and their children Dakota, McKenna and Ahnika; Melissa (David) Haggerty of Buffalo and their daughters Olivia and Rebecca; Brenda (Lance) Moy of Buffalo and their daughters Marah and Sophia; and Erica (Andrew) Karels of Waverly and their sons Zakariah, Isaiah and Noah; sisters Joan (Willie) Bauernschmitt, Janis (Tom) Fitzpatrick, Gwen (Clyde) Adickes, Cheryl Bayerl and her fiance Ron Philippi; mother-in-law Myrtle Bonk; brothers-in-law Byron (Mavis) Bonk, Allen (Marilyn) Bonk, Fred (Monyean) Bonk and Gary (Cyndi) Bonk; uncles Reuben and Edwin Bodin and aunts Irma Jaekel and Pat Lenz, along with fifteen nieces and nephews and many cousins. The Peterson Chapel in Buffalo served the family.