John Spitznogle Obituary, Death – John Spitznogle passed away on the evening of Saturday, June 26, 2021, at the age of 85, surrounded by his family. He was the tenth and final child to be born to Nora Bauer and Paul Carl Spitznogle on April 8, 1936 in Cass County, Indiana. He was the youngest of the 10. St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church in Logansport, Indiana, was the location of his baptism. His grandfather, Felix Bauer, was responsible for making the 650,000 bricks that were used in the construction of the church.
Through the eighth grade, he was a student at Saint Joseph Roman Catholic School, where he forged friendships that would last a lifetime. He was an eager member of the Washington Township High School Yell Team, and he was a proud alumnus of Washington Township High School. Go Hatchets! After serving in the United States Army as a cook for a period of time, he applied to and was accepted as an apprentice at General Motors. He worked there for 44 years before retiring in the year 2001 as a Tool and Die Maker. He expressed his gratitude for the chance to be able to care for his family as well as the wonderful friendships he developed there.
Soon after their marriage in 1960, John and his wife Meg moved to Boone County, where they raised their four children while also working in agriculture as a secondary occupation. They named the property Chinkapin Oak Farm after the massive oak tree that stood in the backyard of the home farm that they bought. There is some disagreement as to whether or not the tree in question is a Chinkapin. He was a devoted and devout member of Saint Joseph Roman Catholic Church in Lebanon, where he enjoyed membership in the Holy Name Men’s Club, the Knights of Columbus, Cursillo, and any committee that would have him. In addition, he contributed sweet corn for funeral feasts during his time there.
He passed away in 2010. He couldn’t believe it when he heard that a church was running a fundraising campaign with the goal of bringing him down from the roof. The fact that he was able to put his abilities in woodworking to use in the construction of the altar in the newly refurbished church gave him the greatest sense of accomplishment. John’s interests included painstakingly refinishing furniture, reclaiming wood from structures that were being demolished, traveling, entering projects in the Boone County Fair, rooting for Purdue, volunteering at Second
Helpings, making wine, going on his weekly “Whitestown Run,” and working with wood, which included crafting his own casket. John passed away in 2016. He enjoyed throwing parties, such as the legendary Martin Luther King, Jr. Fish Fry, which began in 1989 as a group of his GM coworkers cooking fish, playing Euchre, and indulging in his wine. Other parties he hosted include square dances, wedding receptions, hayrides, and the yearly Holy Name Steak Fry, which took place in the 1970s.
