Kim and family,
We are saddened by the loss of John. So many memories from High School, raising our families, vacations, Basketball tournaments, New Year’s and Super Bowls together will have to carry us through the days, months and years ahead without him. We are here for anything you need Kim.
Our entire family sends their best to you, Bobby, Betsy, Andrew, Daniel and the rest of your family.
Hugs and love to all of you.
Mary, Bruce, Erik Torgler plus Heather, Michael and Walter Hamer

To Kim and family, we offer our sincere condolences. May God guide your footsteps as you mourn the loss of John. Our prayers are with you all.

We were so sorry to hear of John’s death. We can’t imagine what you’re going through right now. Know that we are thinking of you all and sending you love.

I last saw John when I was in Chicago March of 2020. Among other things, he took me to Home Run Inn not because he wanted to go but because I did. That’s just the way he was.

Always opened up his house,let me use his car or give me a ride when I would visit. Even as a kid he would let me tag along,take me to Sox games even though I was much younger.

When he would visit me in Arizona, he was ready to fix things around my house even though I never asked. He just took it upon himself cause again that’s the way he was. He was a stubborn, but kind-hearted guy who always had my back even when I didn’t deserve it.

I will miss my big brother, rest in peace, John.

It is with a sad heart that I offer my condolences to Kim and all of John’s family. John was more than a good husband, father and brother. He was a good person and the world is worse off without him. The many memories of our adventures in high school could fill a book. I will forever remember a basketball found on the ceiling, arguing loudly and boisterously for the entire stadium to hear over who had a bigger belt, the Taco Bell clown head tossed over the stands, and cheering enthusiastically as our Lyon’s township sport teams played. These things help scuplt our lives and make us who we are and I am proud to say that John was a friend and helped shape me as I went through life.

To Kim and the Munch family.
My condolences and prayers to you.
I have many great memories with John over the years growing up at Forest Road church LT basketball road trips to Proviso East andWest, bowling for several years on his Team at Brookfield bowl Parties at the Labedz house getting into trouble….
He was a great guy with a big heart and will be missed. I enjoyed catching up at the reunions and was happy to see him survive well for many years after being diagnosed. May God grant you peace until the great reunion in Heaven.

Our sincere condolences from the Tanquary family to the Munch family in losing John. Our family relationship began many, many years ago when my parents became very good friends with John’s parents. That was at a time when our fathers worked together at the infamous car dealership known as Murphy Motors. Representing my siblings and my mother, we all celebrate John’s life and mourn for your family’s loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with you!

Kim and Family –
We offer our heartfelt condolences to you and your family – May your family memories bring you peace and comfort during this very difficult time.
Debbie & Corey Noble

Dear Kim and Family:

Most of high school at LT was a horrible time for me, and I’ve tried my best to erase those memories. That said, there were some happy and hopeful times I remember from LT. Most revolved around the Hard Hats, of which John was a key part. It is with a smile that I remember:

*playing volleyball after hours in the LT gym, where I was a dreadful player but it didn’t matter;

*hanging out at different HH members’ houses and watching Saturday Night Live when it used to be funny;

*decorating my parents’ 1964 Buick Skylark convertible with a Hard Hat theme for the Homecoming parade in which we all marched/rode;

*going to premieres of movies like Chariots of Fire, Grease and (the best!) Animal House (Toga! Toga!);

*watching Monty Python;

*listening to Dr. Demento;

*Going to Great America (where some unidentified individual in the car ahead of ours mooned us!);

*playing softball — where I was again a dreadful player but it didn’t matter;

and perhaps my favorite memory of all:

*going to Enzo’s on Ogden Ave in Brookfield for pizza, only to have “Mama Enzo” remove the silverware from our group table as a matter of routine.

John was at the heart of the Hard Hats. Without him these happy memories would not be possible. He made a positive difference in my life. A difference I will never forget. For that I thank him.

May God bless you all.

My very 1st recollection of John was at a very young age when he talked me into getting in the clothes dryer.  Promising me he wouldn’t turn it on.  But as you can guess of course he did!  I remember playing phony fights, that’s what we used to call it, and being put on my head to the concrete floor of our basement in Berwyn.  I remember playing baseball in our basement  of that same home.  My parents upstairs would hear crash, boom, bang as we played and broke yet another light fixture.  We ultimately ended up breaking every last fixture.  Anyway Dad would hear the commotion and rush down the stairs yelling what broke?  And in unison we would all chime out NOTHING!

But what I really remember about John more often he was there watching out for and protecting his baby brother.  

As we grew up, we shared a love for baseball and the White Sox.  I remember I got home one day from junior high, John must of been a senior at LT at the time and he says hey you wana go to Sox game tonite. Silly me  I am like we can’t go we don’t have tickets not knowing the box office always had tickets. Of course John being John said shut up and get in car the game starts in a couple hours.  We had a blast that night in the right field bleachers. He bought my ticket for a whopping $3.

He took me to a ton of games when I was high school and one time on the way to a game we got tapped by a rear ender on I 55 near the ballpark.  I’m like John, we gotta pull over we just got hit.  Without flinching, John says the bumper didn’t fall off I ain’t stopping first pitch is in 30 minutes.   

Not many of you know this but John attended Disco Demolition night when radio disc jockey Steve Dahl blew up Disco records in center field between games of a double-header.  Did John care about blowing up Disco records?  He was pissed the Sox had to forfiet the 2nd game of the double header because some idiot Disco haters stormed the field and made it unplayable.  John loved the White Sox and was a true die hard fan that would have made our grampa Vargo proud.

When  I was going to ASU in the late 80s John was living in Arizona. BTW  he never did come to like Arizona except that he married his wife there. This was always his home.  Anyway, John and I shared an apartment in Tempe.  Like the big brother he was he made sure the bills were paid, the apartment was taken care of and kept the stress away from me so I could concentrate on school. 

After he came back here from Arizona, I became a hometown Diamondbacks fan and I know that bummed him out.  But it really broke his heart to see me start rooting for the Cubs in 2015. However, John would still give me a ride to the El train so I could catch the Cubs when I was in town. Even when he didn’t agree with me he still supported me. Loaned me his car and house whenever I would visit.  Never expected anything in return.

When he would come to visit me in Arizona he would always fix stuff around my house whether I asked him or not.  One time he even trimmed a rose bush by my garage even though I told him not to bother.  That’s how he was always willing to help you out even if you didn’t ask. BTW John, that bush hasn’t been trimmed since you last did it. So if you wana sneak back one night and trim it for us, I won’t complain.

Bottom line John was a stubborn guy but he had a heart of gold.  I will miss him.  I have to remind myself from time to time that I can’t argue White Sox with him anymore or even send him a text he wouldn’t answer anyway.  Rest in peace big brother.  You are sorely missed.