John G Moe

John Moe, age 90, of Sioux Falls, SD, passed away on Friday, October 13, 2023, at Ava’s House in Sioux Falls, SD.

Funeral services will begin at 10:30 AM Wednesday, October 18, 2023, at Baltic Lutheran Church in Baltic with Pastor Randall Questad officiating. Interment will be in the East Nidaros Lutheran Cemetery, rural Baltic.

Visitation will be from 5-7:00 PM Tuesday, October 17th at the Minnehaha Funeral Home, Baltic.

John (often known as “Big Bad John” to his many nephews and nieces) was born in South Dakota on January 15, 1933 to George and Gertrude Moe. He was the youngest of five children, and the only boy growing up with four sisters to boss him around. He was always an active and hardworking young man, interested in athletics, girls and schoolwork, no doubt in that order. With four sisters all looking after him, they all enjoyed spending time together even long after they were all married and busy with their separate lives.

John attended school in Baltic, graduating from Baltic High School in 1951. He participated in every activity available to the boys at the time, including football, basketball and track and field. He was even quarterback and captain of the football team.

After a brief stint in the navy, he married his high school sweetheart Delores Johnson on November 1, 1952 in Baltic, and they had 2 sons – Steven and Randy. They lived in several different towns in eastern South Dakota including Marion, Canton, Badger, Baltic, Mitchell and finally Sioux Falls. He began his long working career first as the manager of small-town lumber yards which led to spending many years as a building material sales representative for Farmland Industries. One thing led to another, and he then spent a few years as owner of the local Rusco door and window company followed by nearly 20 years applying his broad building product expertise to Lindsay Windows helping them continue to grow and thrive. He loved what he did and always enjoyed meeting new people and developing new friendships with customers and associates along the way. He had a hard time retiring and would probably still have been working if he could.

He was a lifelong music lover and enjoyed singing with the church choir and the Singing Legionnaires. His baritone voice was an important addition to both choirs. In recent years he developed hearing loss and was excited to get a cochlear implant a few months ago hoping it would permit him to get back to his singing.

John and Delores were both deeply committed to their church and participated in a variety of church activities. They also enjoyed traveling, including trips to the Bahama’s, Hawaii, Mexico and Norway during their married life, along with many family trips to see the sights in the Black Hills, Duluth, Texas, Arizona, New York and many other wide-ranging places. He enjoyed working with his hands and he and Delores seemed to always be remodeling different areas of their homes constantly making improvements to fit their lifestyle. Neighbors often remark about how good the yard and house were always kept.

He was preceded in death by his parents George and Gertrude Moe; wife, Delores; and his sisters, Ida Van Wetchel, Joyce Aamot (Odell), Marillyn Beck (Bud), and Mary Prothero (Denny).

He is survived by his two sons, Steve (Donna), (Spearfish, SD), Randy (Minneapolis, MN); and God Daughter Jackie Swiden (Sioux Falls) along with many nieces and nephews.