John Wayne Westby

John Wayne Westby, age 70, of Mabel, Minn., lost his short battle with esophageal cancer at his home on October 20, 2024, surrounded by family.

John was born August 28, 1954, at Waukon Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon, Iowa, to Kenneth and Ruth (Ruroden) Westby. The family lived on a farm between Dorchester and Spring Grove where he attended local country schools and Spring Grove School before the family moved to Mabel in 1965. There he attended Mabel/Mabel-Canton School, participating in football and earned the Ironman Award. During school he delivered newspapers for the Winona Daily News, then was employed at Boyum’s IGA, and also hauled can milk for a local hauler to the Mabel Creamery. John graduated from Mabel-Canton in 1972.

He married Diane Tollefson in 1977 and together they had three children: Dacia, Cole and Lucas. Later they divorced. He enjoyed attending the children and grandchildren’s activities, family was important to him. Even in his last days he asked about his children and wanted them to be okay.

John’s hobbies included riding Harley motorcycles, fishing, golfing with his son Cole, and hunting with his family and friends. In his younger years, he would go hunting for raccoons at night with his uncle Warren Wise, later on hunting with friend Jerry Eide and many others. He was an avid gun collector, very knowledgeable and enjoyed buying and selling guns. John was an active member of the Mabel Sportsmen’s Club and took pride in mowing and the upkeep of Sportsmen’s Park. He loved going for rides in his white pickup, scouting for deer or just going for a drive. John would stop if he seen someone he knew, just to shoot the breeze.

He started his expertise in construction and masonry, first building silos for the Rochester Silo Company for a short period before working construction with Danny Marsden. He laid many brick/blocks and pouring cement for RJ Sullivan, Berger Masonry, Tri-State Masonry, Northland Concrete & Masonry, and O’Connor Construction. You could find John taking on jobs in his spare time for family, friends and others. Working with him was his good friend and work buddy, Steve Roy. He continued to do those projects after retirement. His last job was this summer, building new stairs and railing to the front porch of his very good friends and neighbor, the Nies family. 

John was a member of Mabel First Lutheran Church, where he was confirmed. There he rebuilt the brick frame for the outdoor sign in memory of his son and parents.

He is survived by his children Dacia Sorum and Cole Westby of Mabel, grandchildren Kennedy Sorum of Mabel and Carson Westby of La Crosse, sisters Janet (Danny) Sanden of Mabel, Jean Westby of Decorah, and Joyce (Joel) Graves of Mabel; sister-in-law Brenda Westby and brother-in-law Ronald Vickerman, both of Mabel; and many nieces and nephews. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, a son, Lucas; grandson Caleb Eide, a brother, Jim Westby; sister Judy Vickerman, and a niece, Kari Vickerman.

A Celebration of Life will be held 11 a.m.,  Friday, November 1 at the Mabel Community Center. Burial will follow at the Mabel First Lutheran Cemetery.  A visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m., Thursday, October 31 at the Mabel Community Center. The Mengis Funeral Home in Mabel is assisting with arrangements.