John Charles Pohlman, 88, passed peacefully in his sleep on April 16th, 2025, at Avera St. Mary's Hospital in Pierre, SD.
He was born to Dolores and Willard Pohlman on March 18, 1937, at St. Catherine's Hospital in Kenosha, WI. He grew up in Kenosha, where he played high school football for the Kenosha Red Devils and once scored a touchdown on both offense and defense in the same game (a story he loved to repeat to anyone within earshot).
John attended college at both UW-Madison and the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, where he played football. While a member of USD's Delta Tau Delta fraternity, he met Constance (Connie) Bartels, of Ft. Pierre, SD, a member of the Alpha Phi sorority located across the street. They dated for a year and were married on August 19, 1961. After one year in Sioux City, IA, they moved to Pierre, SD, where they raised their three children: John II, Stephen and Catherine.
Graduating with an English degree, John's first job out of college was with the Pierre Credit Bureau. He went on to work for the State Planning Agency of South Dakota and spent the final 30 years of his career with the federal government as the State Director of ACTION for North and South Dakota, which oversaw volunteer programs such as the Peace Corps, Foster Grandparents and Volunteers in Service to America. He retired in 2007.
John served in the U.S. Army and the National Guard. He was also a deputized member of the Pierre Special Police who guarded the Governor's Mansion when Marlon Brando spoke at an American Indian Movement rally on the Capitol steps in 1974.
He was a very talented athlete. In addition to playing football, John was a skilled golfer, bowler and softball player - both fast pitch and slow pitch. He played league softball until he was 54 years old, winning city championships on teams with each of his sons. He was also an avid fan of the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Cubs - who finally won the World Series for him in 2016. In his later years, he nearly always sported the colors of his favorite teams.
John loved to be entertained. Sports, movies, television, theatre and music brought him great enjoyment, which he happily shared with his family. He also loved to travel, spending summer after summer driving his family to nearly every state in the nation in his trusty Chevy Kingswood station wagon, South Dakota's own Clark Griswold. These trips and many more produced countless stories which will keep his memory alive for years to come. John was a kind, generous, witty family man who will be greatly missed by those whose lives he touched.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother and sister-in-law, Fred and Phyllis Pohlman; and brothers-in-law, Steve Gorelik, Jr. and Dennis Chiappetta.
John is survived by Connie, his wife of 63 years; sons, John II (Stacey) of Sioux Falls, SD, and Steve "JD" of Pierre; daughter, Cathy, of Aurora, CO; grandchildren: Jennifer Mammenga of Sioux Falls, Jordan Pohlman (Chris Demastes) of Colorado Springs, CO, Jaycie Pohlman of Sioux Falls, Liam Pohlman of Pierre, Greta Pohlman of Vermillion, SD, Rex Koch of Aurora and Zoe Koch, both of Aurora; great-grandchildren: Sloane Mammenga and Wilson Mammenga, both of Sioux Falls; and siblings, Sandy Chiappetta of Manalapan, NJ, Patricia Gorelik, Falls Church, VA, Gary (Linda) Pohlman of Lake Villa, IL; as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and neighbors.
A Celebration of Life for John will be held in Pierre at the American Legion Cabin on Saturday, July 12 from 6:00PM to 8:00PM. All friends and family are welcome to attend.
Published by Kenosha News on May 18, 2025.