After a stroke in November, 2024, John was cared for at the SSM Monroe Hospice Home until he passed on February 6, 2025.
John was born in Freeport, IL, in 1951 and grew up in Warren, IL, where his father Wilbert owned a Ben Franklin Store. John worked there until graduating from Warren High School in 1969. John married Dixie Muller in 1973.
He attended and graduated from Highland Community College in Freeport and graduated from UW-Platteville in 1985 with a B.S. in Computer Science and Psychology. He also began graduate studies in philosophy at Arizona State University in Tempe. John was an excellent conversationalist and could engage in multiple topics including religion, philosophy, politics, history, and geography. He also was known for his great sense of humor and love of jazz music.
John worked for the following companies: American Players Theater in Spring Green; NCR in Minnesota; Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and Taliesin Architects in Scottsdale, AZ; Epic in Madison, WI; and Resource Management Associates, Madison, WI, where he wrote an energy generator program for the World Bank. He was sent to Thailand to help set up the program. He also was copy editor for the Frank Lloyd Wright Quarterly magazine. His last programming jobs were in Seattle, Washington, before he retired to Las Vegas, New Mexico, in 2001. In 2023, he moved to Monroe, WI, to be closer to his family.
John is survived by his two sisters, Mary (Legler) Soddy, Monroe, and Barbara (Phil) Benson, Morrison, IL, and their two children: his niece Heidi (Callan) Ruderman and their children, Lillian, Sophia, and George from Monmouth, IL, and his nephew, John (Jana) Benson and their children Jacques and Francesca from the Czech Republic. John also is survived by his cousins, John (Lynn) Legler, Madison, and Karl (Dorothy) Legler, Sauk City; his uncle Chuck (Linda) Turner, Green Bay; and many Turner cousins. He also is survived by Dixie Legler Guerrero, Spring Green, and Helen (Legler) Kneubuehler, Monroe, as well as good friends Alan and Jeannie Soddy, Monroe, and Dave and Alice Urban, Hudson, WI.
John was preceded in death by a cousin, Sally (Legler) Bilderback and by his parents, Wilbert & Dorothy (Turner) Legler. Wilbert was the son of William & Mathilda (Kipfer) Legler. William was the son of George and Magdalene (Baumgartner) Legler. George was the son of George and Barbara (Schindler) Legler. George was the son of Friedolin and Barbara (Hefti) Legler who came to the United States in 1845 from Diesbach, Glarus, Switzerland, with the original settlers of New Glarus.
A celebration of life will be held later when family members return from their winter homes. Shriner-Hager-Gohlke Funeral home is assisting the family. The family wishes to thank all the employees and volunteers of the SSM Hospice Home for their wonderful care and attention he received.
Memorial funds will be donated to the Green County Humane Society to help with re-homing of his cat, Izzy Legler, and for all the cats that need homes. John rescued many cats in his life through the years.
