October 3, 1951 - March 1, 2016

 

Jack Priess
loading...

John “Jack” E. Priess, age 64 of Minnetonka, died on Tuesday, March 1, 2016 surrounded by his family.

John Edward Priess was born on October 3, 1951 to John William and Marian (Vogel) Priess. As a young boy, Jack and his family moved to Princeton to work the family farm. He and his sister, Nancy, were typical farm kids, always running around and playing with cousins around the farm. His parents were very family oriented. The family laughed around the game table together, enjoying Smear, Euchre, and Pfeifer. Jack and his mom were very close and had a competitive bond, often accusing one another of cheating! Jack was a “charmer” and knew how to work his way out of trouble. He loved sports, playing basketball and football in high school. He graduated from Princeton High School in 1969.

Jack was stationed in California when he joined the Marine Corp in 1971. Returning to Minnesota, he and his wife, Jeanette, raised their three children, Johnny, Julie, and Justin. He loved to hunt on his family’s farm and taught his boys to hunt as well. Jack, like his parents, was very supportive of his children, attending every hockey, baseball and volleyball game. Extremely competitive in nature, he was known to be sitting in a lawn chair smoking a cigar in the garage to “debrief” each of his children when they returned home from a game. He “never missed a game!”

Jack played softball with “J & S Concrete” and “RW Builders” at Mark Park. His kids reciprocated and would often cheer on their dad at the softball field.

He adored and lived for his grandchildren. He taught them to play cards. When visiting Kahner and Karsyn in Kansas City, he would take the girls to the park and play. Luke and Grandpa had a special bond. Grandpa went to every practice and game that he could when visiting Luke in Colorado. AJ definitely inherited his “charm” from Grandpa Jack.

Jack lived on his own terms. “He was a fighter, a very strong man with a huge heart.” He battled Huntington’s Disease for many years and never gave up.

Jack will be deeply missed by his children, John, Julie (Dana) Paulson, and Justin; his granddaughters, Kahner and Karsyn Priess; and his grandsons, Luke and AJ Paulson; many other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and his sister, Nancy Carlson.

 

More From AM 1240 WJON