John Bucholz

John Thomas Bucholz, age 91, passed away at the Minnesota Veterans Home in Fergus Falls, MN.

John was born in Perham, MN on March 9, 1933 and graduated from Perham High School in 1951. John joined the Navy in 1952, beginning his 20 years of service to his country, including one year serving in Vietnam. 

On January 19, 1964, John married Mildred Ondov MacNair, while on Active duty serving at the U.S. Naval Air Station in Minneapolis. John helped Mildred in raising her two sons, Daniel and Donald. The family was relocated to Camp Lejeune, NC, and then to John’s final duty location in Duluth, MN. 

After John retired as a Chief Petty Officer in the Navy, he was employed by St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth as Director of Property Management and Safety. He retired from this role in 1992. 

After John’s retirement, he and Millie began sharing their time between Minnesota and Florida, Spending six months of the year in each state. They also enjoyed taking bus tours together and visiting family members around the county. Family was always very important to both of them. 

After Millie’s death on August 7, 2012, John continued to spend half of the year in Florida and half in Duluth, until selling his Florida home and living in Duluth for several more years. Finally, in 2021, he returned to his hometown of Perham. 

Surviving John are his stepsons, Daniel (Kathy) MacNair of Byron Center, MI and Donald MacNair of Grand Prairie, TX; grandchildren, Donald Jr., Jeremy, Justin, Tiffany, and Joanna; three great grandchildren; brothers, William Bucholz of Perham, Gerald Bucholz of New York Mills; sisters, Rose Korby of Perham, and Geri Darsow of Plymouth, MN.

A Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 29, at Schoeneberger Funeral and Cremation Service in Perham. Visitation will be one hour prior. Interment will take place at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis, MN at a later date. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in John’s name may be made to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 500 6th Ave SW, Perham, MN 56573, or to Mount Olive Lutheran Church, 2012 E. Superior St., Duluth, MN 55812.