John Charles Endahl Sr.

Endahl Sr., John Charles, of Pompano Beach, FL, formerly of New Canaan, CT, died a beloved man, peacefully, 15 months after a stroke, on November 4, 2009 in the loving presence of his daughters, Marsha (Hugh) Endahl Kramer, Kimberly (Mark) Tsocanos; and son, John (Ann Charlotte) Endahl Jr.; and his wife of almost 66 years, Ethelwyn "Etta." John was born January 28, 1920 to Gustaf Henry and Rose Vandyke Endahl. Growing up in Coleraine, MN, down the block from "Vandyke Corner," the home of his grandparents, Lydia Gayman and John A. Vandyke, superintendent of schools and founder of the junior college system, John learned the value of volunteerism, helping when his parents lead many local organizations, the value of excellent workmanship, and a solid work ethic in both school and career. John played baseball, officially on the Greenway High team and unofficially wherever he and friends would gather. After attending Itascha Jr. College, John transferred to the University of Minnesota to study electrical engineering, where he met Ethelwyn "Etta" Johnson, of Duluth, MN, on a blind date at his Phi Gamma Delta fraternity party. Etta, a Chi Omega, told her roommate she met the man she was going to marry and John wrote his mother that night that he'd met his future wife! They were married Thanksgiving weekend in 1943. Beginning his career at General Electric and serving with the Army Air Corps, working on B29's, during World War II. Etta and John made the first of many moves as John moved up in his career, Schnectedy, NY, Salina, KA, where daughter, the late Merrilee Boutrous (the late Lawrence) was born, Davenport, IA, where Marsha was born, Des Moines, IA, Webster Groves, MO, where John served as the Superintendent of Sunday School at First Presbyterian Church, Whittier, CA, where John Jr. was born, Baton Rouge, LA, Elmhurst, IL, where Kimberly was born and John played violin in the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra and served as Ward 7 Alderman for two terms despite his commute to the city, and a cottage on Farrington Pond in Lovell, ME, where John designed and built the furniture with his extensive tool collection, which is still being used by family members, a skill he'd learned at the feet of his Father. After moving to Boston, MA to work on the MBTA, John and Etta moved to South Florida, where he continued to consult including jobs in Japan and Chile. After eight years as President of Wilshire East condominium they moved to John Knox Lifecare in 2000, where - up until his stroke - spent hours each day on his computer, continuing to relate to every grandchild by e-mail, and in person-visits, wrote his Memoires and word-processed the many poems of Etta's poetry and memoire students from the Village for publication. John designed power plants and sub stations in many states, managed people and projects, and was a beloved boss and mentor. He was Executive Vice President of Laramore, Douglas and Popham of Chicago and New York. While commuting to jobs in the city, John was involved with Etta, sharing their love of classical music, ballroom dancing, reading, vocabulary, Broadway musicals, and taking family vacations to historic places, always challenging minds at the dinner table, playing sports and "fixing" anything in their homes that needed his skills. John was a golfer and skier, and initiated opening their home to three highly valued exchange students, Yoshiko Omori Maruyama (AFS-Japan), Phillipe Bacon (YFU-France) and Guinhild (Norway). Although he could not be active this past year, John the "black and white engineer" and Etta "poet, teacher, dreamer" treasured daily naps together and their time reading the New York Time cover to cover. He continued his positive and important relationships with his children, 11 grandchildren, and six greats. He will be dearly missed. A Memorial Service will take place at John Knox Village in the Hibiscus Room in the Village Center at 2 p.m. on Saturday, November 7, 2009. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in his honor to Connecticut Friends School, Wilton, CT, where Kim is the Co-Head.