John E. Tinder

Unexpectedly, another chapter of an incredible life’s journey on this heavenly earth has concluded with the passing of John Edward Tinder on March 12, 2026. John was a devoted husband, son, brother, uncle and friend. Born as the third child of Bill and Audrey (Thorpe) Tinder on August 8, 1962, in Ladysmith, Wisconsin, John lived a life of service and commitment to the Ladysmith community.

John loved spending time with family, hunting at his beloved cabin, taking on a worthy cribbage opponent and sharing a great (often somewhat inappropriate) joke. Years of service in the frozen food and dairy supply industry taught John an appreciation for good food. His family benefitted from that appreciation as John honed his ability to bake delicious pizza and grill the perfect steak.

While attending high school he began his professional career bagging groceries at the local Scott and Connie’s Super Value in Ladysmith. The grocery industry provided John the opportunity to advance, learn and most importantly engage with people. John would go out of his way to meet the requests of his customers, and he quickly became the ‘go to’ guy for special requests and answers to questions. That first experience provided the foundation to a 40+ year career in the grocery industry, as John moved into management for several grocery stores in Ladysmith.

John met the love of his life, Debbie, and quickly knew he would be proposing marriage. During their courtship they enjoyed dates sharing long motorcycle rides and traveling to softball tournaments across the region. Debbie and John were married on May 9, 1987, and spent the next 39 years building a life together in Ladysmith. John retired from the grocery industry in 2019 and quickly undertook his next professional challenge as a salesman at Toycen Motors. John brought the same passion for customer service and quality to his work at Toycen, where he helped countless people purchase their next vehicle. His last year of employment prior to retirement was spent machining precision gun parts at Henry Firearms.

When not working, John loved spending time with his wife Debbie, exploring the shores of Lake Superior in search of ‘yooperlite’ rocks and sea glass. An occasional nightly poker game with his best friends was a commitment John tried to always keep. He always had time for family, prioritizing family dinners, birthdays, celebrations and holidays. Nieces and nephews referred to him as ‘Uncle M&M’ because of the special candy treats he always had for them in addition to making them laugh while giving them a giant bear hug to greet them.

Some of John’s happiest times were spent at his cabin, hunting white tail and spending quiet time in the woods. Over the years he harvested many trophy white tails by archery and rifle, proudly displaying antlers at their home and cabin. The decision to retire last year created space for more time at the cabin, extended road trips with Debbie and more time spent with family and friends. All who benefited from his time and energy are grateful for those extra hours spent with his generous, funny, kind spirit.

John was continually looking for opportunities to give back to the community he loved. He donated blood regularly, donating over 170 pints of blood over the past 42 years. He was recognized by American Red Cross for donations of type CMV-negative blood, which is crucial for the heath of vulnerable newborns requiring transfusions, no doubt saving the lives of many through his generosity.

John is survived by his beloved wife of nearly 39 years, Debbie, his mother Audrey, sisters Jane (Tim) Strobl and Sue (Greg) Lazar, his big brother Tony ‘Flipper’ (Renee) Tinder, father-in-law Martin Huhn, sister-in-law Donna Neste, brother-in-law Brian (Amy) Huhn and many nieces, nephews, and especially his beloved ‘papa’s cat’ Jesse. He was preceded in death by his father Bill and his mother-in-law Karen who will no doubt be welcoming him with big hugs and giant smiles.

It is rare to find a person who instinctively senses the needs of others. John had an innate ability to do so. He was a quiet man who communicated love and support to the people in his life in quiet ways. He could always be relied on to offer a steadying smile, a reassuring hug and an off-color joke to lighten the mood. All who were lucky enough to call him friend or family are better for having known him.

Family and friends are invited to celebrate John’s life with his family from 4:00 to 7:00 pm at Nash-Jackan Funeral Home in Ladysmith on Friday, March 20, 2026. Private family interment arrangements are currently pending.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in John’s memory to the Wisconsin Northwest Chapter of the American Red Cross.

A complete obituary will also be published in the Ladysmith News.