The funeral service for John Burton Trygstad will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, July 2, 2013, at Zumbro Lutheran Church in Rochester with Pastor Vern Christopherson officiating.  Visitation will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday, July 1, in the River Park Chapel at Macken Funeral Home and one hour prior to the service at the church on Tuesday, July 2.  Burial will be at East St. Olaf Cemetery.

John Trygstad passed away peacefully Thursday, June 27, 2013 at his home with family surrounding him who had been watching over him on his journey to be with God

John was born on July 12, 1926, at the family home near Rock Dell, MN, to John G. Trygstad and Bertha L. (Brakke) Trygstad.  He grew up on the farm, was confirmed at East St. Olaf Church, and went to high school at Kasson finishing his last year in Rochester Public High School.  In 1943, he was drafted into the navy at Fort Snelling, boot camp at Great Lakes Naval Training Center, and then went for six months of radio school at Yerba Buena Island located at the base of Oakland Bay Bridge.  He was then transported by ship to Guam and served on patrol craft escort to rescue downed pilots and also for radio communication and weather reporting.  In January 1946, he returned to the States.

He used his GI Bill to attend Rochester Junior College and the University of Minnesota, attaining his accounting degree.  He worked as an accountant at the Mayo Clinic for 8 years, moving on to IBM where he worked  for 28 years retiring as a financial analyst in 1985.  Following retirement, he drove cars for 21 years for Rochester Ford & Toyota.  He married Leone M. Ashler on June 14, 1947, at Berne Church near West Concord.  They lived in Rochester until buying a farm in 1973 near Rock Dell.  John did his own farming, haying, raising beef cattle for five years following which he cash rented the farm land.  John loved to hunt and fish, always enjoying a summer vacation Up North at a lake in Minnesota.  The Minnesota Twins was his number one sport he enjoyed watching—he was a true fan.  John also enjoyed travel in winter to warmer climates for 18 years in his motor home that he acquired in 1986 along with golfing and bowling.

John is survived by his wife, Leone, of Byron; 5 children–Diana (Tom) Warne, David (Julie) Trygstad, Sheri Krueger (Gary Urban), Sally (Gary) Rud, Doug Trygstad (friend, Sandy McCormick); 11 grandchildren–Sarah, Matt, Nathan, Noah, Jeffrey, Aaron, Nicole, Heather, Holly, Heath, Hunter; 5 great-grandchildren; sister, Violet Alrick; a great brother-in-law, Dr. Fred Ashler; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Special thanks to Mayo Hospice for all their help and support through this difficult time.

He was preceded in death by his parents, eight brothers and sisters—Martha Anderson, Jim Trygstad, Marvin Trygstad, Lester Trygstad, Ernest Trygstad, Julia Hauglum, Art Trygstad, and Ruby Boysen;  one niece, Darlene Trygstad;  and one daughter-in-law, Marlys Trygstad.

On-line condolences are welcome at www.mackenfuneralhome.com.