John Weinreis, 71, of Parachute, CO; died Thursday, June 28, 2012 in Rifle, CO. His funeral will be Thursday, July 5, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. at Thelen Funeral Home in Redfield. Reverend Tim Fugman will officiate. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery in Mellette. Visitation will be Thursday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service at Thelen Funeral Home in Redfield, SD. www.thelenfuneralhome.com

John was born August 28, 1940 in Aberdeen, SD to Walter and Madeline (Burke) Weinreis. He attended country school and school in Brentford. He worked for South Dakota Wheat Growers for a few years before starting in the construction business. He worked on the Oahe Dam in Pierre, SD and the Ruedi Dam in Basalt, CO. John married Sharon Waddington on November 4, 1963. He ran an excavator and other heavy equipment in the Denver, CO area for many years before he retired in 2006. He moved to Parachute to work with his brother, Joe, and help him with his buildings and land.

John enjoyed hunting and fishing. He came back to South Dakota often to pheasant hunt and enjoyed elk hunting in Colorado. He liked camping in the mountains.

John is survived by his three sons: Kevin, Troy and Travis all in Colorado, his grandchildren: Kara and Calvin and his special friend Jan Erickson. He is also survived by his brothers and sisters: LaVerne (Jane) Weinreis of Doland, SD; Joe (Velma) Weinreis of Parachute, CO; Gerald (Beulah) Weinreis of Laurinburg, NC; Helen Oberle of Mellette, SD; Maureen (Dale) Audorff of Tacoma, WA; Jeanette Graves of El Paso, TX; and Richard (Claudine) Weinreis of Mellette, SD and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded by his parents, his brother Donald and his sister Kathleen Davis.