John Peter Schlauderaff

John P. Schlauderaff, age 68, of Litchfield died on Monday, November 25, 2019 in North Dakota. Visitation will be from 4:00 PM until 7:00 PM on Monday, December 2, 2019 at the church and will continue one hour before services. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, December 3, 2019, at Zion Lutheran Church in Litchfield. Interment will be in the First Lutheran Cemetery in Glencoe at 3:00 PM on Tuesday, December 3rd. John Peter Schlauderaff, son of LeRoy (Pete) and Lorraine (Larry) Kuhlmann Schlauderaff, was born in Minneapolis. He grew up in Glencoe, graduated from Glencoe High School in 1969, and continued his education at the University of North Dakota, receiving a BA in Business/Accountancy and passed his CPA exam. John married Beth Stoeckmann, the love of his life, on June 2, 1973. Their adoration for each other was admired by all. At ages 16 and 17 they both showed up to their first date wearing the same sweater; it was a sign that they should always be together. Their marriage blessed them with three children (Martha, Michael and Benjamin) and 6 wonderful grandchildren. In 1973, John’s career began as a Certified Public Accountant at Deloitte (formerly Haskins & Sells) in downtown Minneapolis. For several years they lived in Wayzata and raised their children before deciding that small town living was the best match for their family. In 1983, they moved to Litchfield and joined the Schlauderaff Implement team. After leading the business for several years, they sold the dealership and retired, but continued to help their son Michael’s business, Ritter Ag in Trimont, Minnesota. Family was the center of John’s life and he was always planning or doing fun and adventurous things which educated, entertained and inspired everyone involved. John and Beth loved to travel, especially to Maui, and John enjoyed snorkeling, windsurfing and hiking. John took pride in growing vegetables (especially gourds) and fruit for Beth’s pies. Boating was a favorite pastime for him, and jumping off the boat in the middle of Lake Minnie Belle brought splashes and laughs to all the kids. John was physically active and incredibly fit throughout his entire life. John went to state in track in high school, played college football and worked out every day. He enjoyed games of physical challenge and was eager to take on anyone in a wheelbarrow race, bench press challenge or pull-up competition. Frequent adventures to remote areas in South and North Dakota brought him so much joy. Accompanied by his dog, he slept in the back of his pickup, and hunted or fished for days - connecting with nature. Over the last few years, he especially enjoyed Canadian fishing trips with friends and family. Having a close relationship with the Lord was a priority for John and he frequently shared his faith with others. His spirituality defined him in many ways that was respected by family and friends. John was a history buff, as well as a movie and music enthusiast. In addition, he loved to connect with people and learn their stories. John’s curious mind, quick smile and gentle warmth created a lasting impression on everyone he met. In addition, he had a mischievous side of his personality which was sometimes surprising, but always enjoyable. John was steady, kind and helpful to others. The twinkle in his eye will be remembered by many. He is survived by his wife Beth Schlauderaff of Litchfield, children Martha (Kelly) Duclos of Robbinsdale, Michael (Jennifer) Schlauderaff of Mankato, Ben (Maggie) Schlauderaff of Plymouth; grandchildren Elsa, Wyatt, Henry, Campbell, Isabelle “Izzy”, and Rosemary “Rosie”; siblings Mary Malone of Minnetonka, Lynn (Doug) Stuewe of Glencoe, Sara Schlauderaff (Charlie Weaver) of Wyoming and Charlie Schlauderaff of Litchfield. John is also survived by his trusted dog and hunting partner Jagger. He was preceded in death by his parents.