John Pumper

John Stanley Pumper, age 71, of New Prague, died on Friday, April 5, 2013 after fighting a courageous battle with cancer. John was born on May 7, 1941, in New Prague, Minnesota the son of Stanley and Agnes (Maxa) Pumper. He attended New Prague High School and graduated in 1959. John served his country in the United States Army Reserve trained at Fort Ord, California from June of 1961 ? May 1967. He was a Sgt. in the US Army Reserve Company A&B, 3rd Battalion and 5th Infantry Division. On June 1, 1963, John was united in marriage to Dorothy Kotek. The couple would have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this June. To this union three beautiful children were born: Robert, Laurie, & Christine. John worked for BF Goodrich in the Aerospace Division in Burnsville for 41 years. He contributed greatly to our military, flight and space programs. He retired in 2006. Throughout his life John enjoyed various hobbies and the outdoors but a couple of his favorites were traveling and stopping off at an occasional casino to try his luck at the slots. People would always find him in the garage either working on cars or tinkering with lawn mowers, tractors and snow blowers. John was the ?go to guy? in the neighborhood and the surrounding area with anything motor or mechanical. He is survived by his loving wife, Dorothy; son, Robert of New Prague; daughters: Laurie (Tim) Brede of Alexandria, Chris (Kerry) Donley of Alexandria; 8 grandchildren: Brian, Rachel, Brandon & Katie Pumper, Melissa & Megan Brede, Matthew & Ashley Donley; sister, Florence Stocker; sister-in-law, Dorothy Pumper; several nieces, nephews and other close family and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, twin brother & sister in infancy: Eugene & Irene; brother, Myles Pumper; sisters: Mary Jane Kadrlik & Caroline Segna. Funeral services were held on Friday, April 12, 2013, 10:00 a.m. at St. Wenceslaus Parish in New Prague.