John Tremse, age 79, of River Falls, Wisconsin passed peacefully surrounded by loved ones after a short battle with Cancer.  John was born December 4, 1940 in Chicago, IL to John & Yolanda (Berezki) Tremse of Whiting, Indiana.  John was the middle child of three and raised in a Hungarian home with his sister’s Yolanda and Anna. In 1958, he graduated from Griffith High School in Griffith, IN.

From 1961 to 1965, John served in the United States Navy.  During this time, he was stationed in Chicago, New Orleans and Norfolk, VA. He was Supervisor of the Officer Reports Section and was instrumental in establishing a Transfer Cost System which maintained and reported costing associated with transfer of enlisted personnel in the Atlantic Fleet.  He was then promoted to Supervisor of the Transfer Costing Section. John was given the opportunity to attend IBM School while in the Navy and believes this was the stepping stone to a long and fulfilling career in Information Technology/Systems.

On November 17, 1962 John wed Joanne Rubinic from Dolton, IL with whom he has shared 57 loving years and raised two daughters.  Joanne joined him during his time in New Orleans and Norfolk. 

After his discharge from the Navy, John and Joanne moved to Bloomington, Indiana where he finished his higher education.  In 1966, he graduated in the top 25% of his class with a Business Degree from Indiana University.

After graduating, John worked for US Steel at their downtown Chicago corporate office.  In 1972, he moved his family to Elkhart, Indiana to begin a 28 year career with Bayer AG Pharmaceutical Corporation, then known as Miles Laboratories.  From 1972 to 1985, he held various management positions in Information Systems (Healthcare).  In 1986, he was promoted to Staff Vice President of Healthcare Management Information Systems.  In 1991, John was promoted to Senior Vice President of Information Systems.  That same year, he successfully completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard University Graduate School of Business in Boston, MA.  In 1992, he and his family relocated from South Bend, IN to Pittsburgh, PA to be located at Bayer AG North American Headquarters.  John retired from Bayer AG in 2000.

In 2003, John and Joanne moved to River Falls, Wisconsin to be near their daughter’s families and grandchildren.  John was a member of the PG Men’s Group in Hudson, served on the Hudson Hospital Board and volunteered as a shuttle driver. John and Joanne traveled extensively within the US and abroad.  He was a good story teller and loved to reminisce of their vacations.  He was a very good dancer and especially enjoyed the Jitterbug, Waltz and Cha Cha with Joanne. A treasured family tradition was an annual Labor Day Weekend trip to northern Minnesota with his children and grandchildren. John’s hobbies were fishing, golf, boating, the years at their winter home in Florida, riding on his John Deere tractor and simply spending time with family.  He was a life-long Christian and member of the United Methodist faith for many years.  John had a special ability to make friends wherever he went and always had time for a conversation, to tell a joke or give guidance when asked.  

John will be laid to rest at Fort Snelling National Cemetery Columbarium in Minneapolis, MN.  A family memorial service will be held in Chicago, IL at a later date.

Preceded in Death by Father John Joseph Tremse, Mother Yolanda Irene Tremse, Sister Yolanda Irene Blackburn, Mother in Law Marie Rose Rubinic, Father in Law Joseph Rubinic, Brothers In Law Jay Kosik, John Skertich and Jack Blackburn, Sister in Law Loretta Kosik.

Survived by Wife Joanne Tremse, Daughter Christine Gibson, Daughter Katherine Hayes, Son in Law Jeff Gibson, Son in Law Jeff Hayes, Grandchildren Grace Hayes, Alex Gibson, Aaron Hayes and Evan Gibson, sister Anna Skertich and many nieces & nephews that loved him. He will be missed by friends in Indiana, Pennsylvania, Florida and Wisconsin.

Cards maybe be mailed to the O’Connell Family Funeral Home; 520 So. 11th Street, Hudson, WI 54016 and we will forward them on to the family.