John J. Drotzmann

John J. Drotzmann, age 79, of Beaverton, Oregon, passed away peacefully on Sunday, July 7, 2019, under hospice care in Portland, Oregon. A memorial service and rosary will be 11:00 AM, on Monday, August 5, 2019 at Sigel Church which is located 10 miles north and 1 mile west of Yankton, South Dakota. Burial will follow at Sigel Cemetery and then lunch at Sigel Hall. The Wintz & Ray Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Yankton is assisting with arrangements. John Jerome Drotzmann was born June 30, 1940 in Yankton to Fred and Frances (Kast) Drotzmann. He attended 8 years at Kietzmann School and graduated from Yankton High School in 1958. He was involved with the family farming operation until he joined his brothers in the Drotzmann Trucking business in 1961. He was drafted in the U.S. Army in 1963 and was stationed in Germany. On January 9, 1965, he married Cecelia Kehrwald and to this union two sons were born, David Allen and Christopher John. Following his divorce, John moved to Yakima, WA where Drotzmann Trucking relocated. On August 22, 1987, he married Virginia Ballard. He was an active cross-country truck driver and also did dispatching after retiring from truck driving. His trucking career took him to the 48 lower states, his honeymoon with Virginia to Hawaii, and more recently a cruise to Alaska with his sister, Mary Ann completed his goal of reaching all 50 states. When younger, John enjoyed playing baseball: playing for both Bow Valley and Yankton. He also enjoyed playing softball into his 40s. In the summer, he liked to camp, boat and take his boys fishing off the Washington coast. He also enjoyed playing cards, especially pinochle and later became a skilled poker player. In adulthood, his son David became an accomplished fast-pitch softball player and John frequently traveled with David to his tournaments. In his later years, John enjoyed rummy cube, solitaire, Netflix and watching his grandchildren participate in a multitude of sports. He was also a devoted fan of the Seattle Mariners and Seattle Seahawks. John is survived by two sons, David (Kem) Drotzmann and their children: Gavin and Abi of Hermiston, OR and Christopher (Jana) Drotzmann and their children: Connor and Natalie of Portland, OR; four siblings: Alice Drotzmann and Mary Ann Kathol of Yankton, Joe (Dorothy) Drotzmann of Ellensburg, WA and Harold (Mary) Drotzmann of Sgt. Bluff, IA; sister-in-law, Mildred Zimmerman of Yankton; and numerous nieces and nephews. John was preceded in death by his parents, Fred and Frances Drotzmann; wife, Virginia Drotzmann; and brothers, Dennis and Roman (Frances) Drotzmann. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to a charity of your choice.