John "Jack" Potucek

Beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, John “Jack” Potucek, passed away Sunday, April 16, 2017, in North Valley Health Center, Warren, age 81 years.

The son of the late Emily Potucek, Jack was born October 15, 1935, in Mahnomen, MN and was raised by his grandparents, Emil and Lucy Potucek, on the family farm with his several brothers and sisters. Jack attended Warren High School through grade 10, at which time he entered the workforce. He worked for Roy Westberg and for L.J. Anderson Inc. and many farmers around the area. He loved operating big equipment, especially the big Cat bulldozers. With Westberg’s, he excavated the Altru Hospital's basement which was in the middle of a field outside of town at the time. While with L.J., he laid many feet of cable around the area and was particularly proud of their crossing the Red River in East Grand Forks.

Before his marriage to his wife of 47 years, Ilayne Kolstad, on August 29, 1969, Jack was married to Harriet Dounley, with whom he had two daughters. Including Ilayne's two children and the son they had together, the Potucek's became a family of seven.

He was a long standing member of the Warren Volunteer Fire Department and still attended meetings on a regular basis. Jack’s love of wood working is well-known around the Warren area, with many grandfather clocks, gun cabinets, and many other wood working projects to his name. Jack also enjoyed going for drives and looking for deer or checking out the farmers crops during the year, and he was never far from his word find puzzles.

In addition to his wife, Ilayne, Jack is survived by his children, Peggy Johnson of Eagle River, AK, Penny (Mike) Armstrong of Anchorage, AK, Lynette (Jason) Bebee of Tuscon, AZ, Daniel (Bonnie) Nowacki of Pillager, MN, and Darin (Lisa) Potucek of Argyle, MN; 11 grandchildren, Matthew (Sierra), Michael, Jacob, Ryan (Lacey), Robert (Patricia), Colin, Bethany, Kristina and Jeffrey, Nicole (Dave), Holly (Greg); six great-grandchildren, Anastasia, Alia, Adelyn, and Oliver, Kaylyn, and Alex; sister Patricia (Bill) Schulz of Franklin, WI; sister-in-law, Kate Potucek; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his siblings, Mike, Vera Jackson, Vernie, John, Dick, and Deloris Johnson.

Visitation: Monday, April 24, 2017, starting at 5:00 PM; with a short Prayer Service at 6:30 PM, at DuBore Funeral Home in Warren, MN; and one hour prior to the funeral at the church.

Funeral Service: Tuesday, April 25, at 10:30 AM, in Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Warren, MN.

Interment: Greenwood Cemetery, Warren, MN.

Honorary Casket Bearers: The Warren Volunteer Fire Dept. Members, Active and Retired

 Service Information