John D. Wenum

1928 - 2025

John D. Wenum

October 11, 1928 - March 15, 2025

John D. Wenum, age 96, of Camp Douglas, died peacefully surrounded by his family, on Saturday, March 15, 2025 in Kalispell, Montana. Born near Spring Valley, Wisconsin, on October 11, 1928, John attended Gertrude School and River Falls High School. He grew up on a farm and later worked in several agricultural-related jobs.

In January, 1951, he was drafted into the US Army. After one year in an armored battalion, he entered Officer Candidate School. He was commissioned in July, 1952, and after nine months at Fort Bliss, Texas, he was assigned to an anti-aircraft unit in Germany, where he remained for three years. He returned to the United States and became Commandant of the AAA schools at Fort Sheridan, Illinois. In 1957, he left the service and entered college.

In 1958, he married his true love and late wife of 64 years, Agnes M (Nan) Herrick. They had three children John W. (Rhonda), Erik A. (Teresa) and Nanette A. There are six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. John was a dedicated, loving husband and father. He rarely missed his sons' hockey games and drove countless miles over western backroads taking his family on memorable camping adventures.

Upon completing college, John attended Northwestern University where he earned M.A and Ph.D. degrees. He taught at Lake Forest College and Illinois Wesleyan University for the rest of his career, retiring in 1994 receiving professor emeritus honors from Wesleyan. He also served as a Delegate to the Sixth Illinois Constitutional Convention (1969-1970), and was appointed by the Governor of Illinois as Staff Director of a task force working with the Illinois State Legislature (1970-1971); on passing laws to implement the new Constitution. John was chair of the Department of Political Science and Director of the Social Science Division at Illinois Wesleyan University. He also served on the McLean County Board (1973-1986), and numerous committees and task forces in Illinois.

In 2005, John and his wife moved to their summer place near Hustler, Wisconsin. In 2008 he was elected to the Juneau County Board of Supervisors where he served until 2020. In recognition of his service and commitment to affordable community housing, a local housing project was named in his honor. Along the way he wrote or co-wrote three books and numerous articles and essays on government and politics.

Though John immensely enjoyed and took pride in his public service roles – he was foremost an educator, dedicated to his students. As one former student shared, he had an "innate ability to be an educator, mentor, motivator and most importantly a friend." Once you met John, it did not take long to consider him a friend. There will be no public service. Memorials can be made to Doctors Without Borders.