John Charles Iverson

It is with a broken heart that we announce the passing of our beloved John Iverson on January 2, 2026, at the age of 81. He was a loving husband, father, brother, uncle, and grandfather.

John was born in Dalhart, TX on January 24, 1944. He went to Missouri Military Academy. After graduation, he attended West Texas State University, where he obtained his bachelor’s in accounting. Between 1966-1968, John was on active duty in Fort Benjamin, Harrison, IN, in the Finance Center of the US Army. He continued his studies at the University of Toronto, where he obtained his MBA in 1969. He then went to work for Kaiser Aluminum in CA, as a strategic planner. Captain John Iverson was honorably discharged from the US Army in 1976.

He moved to New Mexico for the love of fly fishing. He was an extremely passionate, avid fly fisherman and loved to teach anybody to fish. Starting with his kids, grandkids, wife, sister, friends and just about anybody who wanted to learn the art of fly fishing.

John began a journey of entrepreneurship in 1978 when he co-founded Santa Fe Stoneworks, together with Bill Wirtel. John took the reins and turned it into an incredibly successful business. SF Stoneworks gave John the opportunity to expand his creativity. He loved gemstones, knives, and the art of making them. In 1991 he received the NICHE Award for Outstanding Achievement in American Craft.

After 21 years John decided to part with Santa Fe Stoneworks and dedicated the next couple of years to the Craft Industry by founding The Arts Business Institute. He said the Craft World was very good to him and wanted to give back to the Art Community by helping and teaching growing artists how to master the business of art.

In 2013 John and his wife, Cristina, bought Kowboyz, a western apparel retail store in the Railyard. He loved Kowboyz. He used to say that he came by it naturally, as he grew up as a cowboy in the Panhandle of Texas. John and Cristina recently sold their retail store on October 1, 2025.

John is preceded in death by his father Conrad, his mother Charlene, his stepfather Sid, his uncle Harry, and his cousins Jack and Lorian.

John is survived by his wife, Cristina; his sons, John Robert (Jessica) and Patrick Charles (Branwyn); stepson Mihai; sister Melissa McDonald (Tom) from TX; and brother Greg Bridgeman (Julie) from FL; grandkids Raven, Abram, Stella, Fiona, Hugo, Athena, Daedalus; and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.

A Graveside memorial service will be held honoring John’s life at 11:00 am on Saturday, March 21, 2026, at Memorial Park Cemetery in Dalhart, TX. Services have been entrusted to Dalhart Funeral Home and Cremation Services.