John Franklin Jindra, 93, of Brownsdale, Minnesota, went to join his beloved wife, Mary, on March 20, 2017.

John was the first of two sons born to Frank and Ann (Byrne) Jindra on Feb. 6, 1924, in Omaha, Nebraska. He was raised in South Christy Heights, South Omaha, where he attended St. Mary’s Parochial School and graduated from South High School with honors. John was a member of the band and played a mean clarinet.

He joined the U. S. Navy on Feb. 26, 1943. Following boot camp at Farragut, Idaho, John was sent to Riverton, Washington, where he was assigned to aircraft carrier pre-commissioning school in Astoria, Oregon. He boarded the USS Corregidor, sailed to San Diego, California, on to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and out to open sea and the Southwest Pacific on convoy patrol. The aircraft carrier Corregidor did see battle while John was on board; it was an exciting time. John also thought he wanted to be on a submarine, so while in port for repairs to his ship, John’s superiors sent him out on a short excursion on a submarine.  After three days of banging his head everywhere and sleeping in way too short bunks, he changed his mind about sub duty. Much to his dismay, John was discharged from the Navy when World War II ended. He liked being a sailor.

He returned home to Omaha, and finding nothing interesting to do, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and was sent to Fort Snelling, Minnesota. Being from a Catholic background got him sent to Austin, Minnesota, as an Army food inspector. This is where he met and married Mary Kirtz. She was a waitress at a restaurant he went to with friends. They encountered each other when he was helping himself to more ice and she did not like it! They were married on Feb. 6, 1951, his birthday. That way he wouldn’t forget their anniversary. He was re-assigned to Chicago, Illinois, and Mary answered an advertisement to be a live-in nanny-housekeeper. It turned out to be a blessing times four to them, because they had lost their little son prematurely and were told no more babies. They had their four Chicago children for 13 years. John was sent to the demilitarized zone in Korea, and Mary went home to Minnesota to the farm with her parents. Their children remain in touch to this day. John retired from the Army in June 1963, and they purchased the farm from Mary’s parents. John fished a little and then went to work at Hormel as a Department of Agriculture meat inspector for 15 years. He also crop-farmed and raised sheep. They both retired “for real” and took time to do things they really enjoyed — especially their Sunday drives. John and Mary loved each other to her last breath in April 2011. And he missed her until his last breath.

Survivors include a sister-in-law; nieces; nephews; their four Chicago children, Pete, Anne, Tom and Jack; close friends, Bill and Sheila Bachelder; Steve and Sharrie Garbisch; and Christopher and Stephie Garbisch and little Emerson who lovingly continue to care for the farm on “Kirtz’s Corner.” John was preceded in death by his wife, Mary; infant son, John Peter; his parents; a brother; father-in-law, Peter; and wonderful mother-in-law, Anna.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, March 23, 2017, at Worlein Funeral Home Chapel in Austin with Chaplain Josh Johnson officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. Interment will be in St. Peter’s Catholic Cemetery, Rose Creek, Minnesota.

Worlein Funeral Home of Austin is assisting the family with arrangements.  Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.worlein.com.