John Wilson Safstrom

John W. Safstrom, after 86 years of a life well-lived, passed away peacefully while wintering in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico on Thursday, February 13, 2020, after a brief illness.

John was born on February 19, 1933 in Oak Park, IL. A 1951 graduate of Oak Park-River Forest High School, he received his Civil Engineering degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder in 1956. On October 21, 1961, he married the love of his life, Gail Stewart. They raised two children, Elizabeth (Lisa) and Jon.

John used his engineering degree in numerous ways throughout his career. He worked for the FAA, helping design and build the O’Hare Airport control tower in Chicago before moving to Duluth in 1969. While in Duluth, he worked for several engineering firms, ran his own small business selling Armco Steel products for local construction projects and eventually retired from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers office at Canal Park in 1998. He was a lifetime member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and past president of Duluth chapter.

John will be fondly remembered by family and friends as a loving husband, devoted father and a man of deep faith. He loved to spend time with his family, ride his motorcycle, play golf, fish and sing in his church choir. He was constantly active, bemoaning the days when he didn’t have a “project” to do. John was also an avid volunteer – always willing to help with church or community events and forever willing to meet new people or strike up conversations with perfect strangers. He always left people and places better than he found them.

John was preceded in death by his parents, Herbert and Ruby (Wilson) Safstrom and is survived by his wife Gail, two children; Lisa (Steve) and Jon (Gretchen), sister; Miriam, grandchildren; Alex (Molly), Julia (Bryan), Meghan (Jacob), Erik, Luke and Jack.

Memorials can be sent to Knife River Lutheran Church or Knife River Heritage and Cultural Center, P.O. Box 240, Knife River, MN 55609. The Knife River Heritage Center is a non-profit entity.

A memorial service will be held at a later date at the Knife River Lutheran Church.