John David Lideen

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of John David Lideen on April 15, 2026, at the age of 91, surrounded by family. John will be remembered fondly for his generosity, kindness, and the love he held for his family.

John was born on January 15, 1935 in Dawson, Minnesota to John and Dagmar Lideen. John spent his childhood growing up on a dairy farm until he graduated from Madison High School in 1953, after which he continued farming near Madison, Kasson, and Rochester, MN.

John met the love of his life, Marilyn Karpenski, at a dance in Gary, South Dakota. John and Marilyn married in 1957. Shortly afterwards, John served in the U.S. Army, and was proud to hold the highest marksman award. John and Marilyn had two children, Jamey and Tammy, enjoyed driving John's father's restored 1967 Chevy Pickup in a car club, and continued to enjoy life together until Marilyn's death in 2019. John was a lifelong Lutheran, and he and his wife were members of Zumbro Lutheran in Rochester, MN.

John worked at IBM from 1962 until 1993, after which he worked at Hardware Hank for 12 years assisting people with home repairs. John was renowned for his love of anything mechanical: he could fix and build anything, he enjoyed working on projects in his garage, and he frequently repaired and built items for his friends and family. He was generous with his time and knowledge, always ready to lend a helping hand. John especially enjoyed collecting and tinkering with farm toys, toy trucks, and remote controlled cars especially with his grandchildren with whom he shared his joy.

John was preceded in death by his parents, John and Dagmar Lideen; and his wife, Marilyn Lideen.

John is survived by his children: Jamey (Karen) Lideen and Tammy Adams; his grandchildren: Daniel (Randy) Lideen, Bryan (Kate) Adams, Sarah (Scott) Maier, and Dylan (Rachel) Adams; his great-grandchildren: Peyton and Parker Maier, and Ruth Adams; and his siblings: his brother Robert (Jeanette) Lideen and sister Susan (Larry) Kluin. In addition, his best friend of 61 years, Francis Wiesler.

A special thank you to Angela from Mayo Clinic Palliative Care, Mayo Clinic Hospice Care, and all the staff at The Waters, including assistants, nurses, dining service, front desk, and housekeepers for making memories with us over the past 7 years with their kindness, good care of John, and positive attitudes. Memorials are preferred to Zumbro Lutheran Church, Rochester MN, or Chetek Lakes Protection Association, Chetek WI.

A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, April 24, 2026 at the River Park Chapel at Macken Funeral Home. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. A private burial will be at Oakwood Cemetery.