1916
John
2014
John Weisser
March 17, 1916 — March 29, 2014
John "Johnny" Weisser, 98, Mandan, died March 29, 2014 at Sanford off Collins in Mandan.
Services will be held at 11:00 am on Thursday, April 3, 2014 at Messiah Lutheran Church, Mandan, ND with Rev. Mark Drew officiating. Burial will be at the Mandan Union Cemetery.
Visitation will be held from 4:00-7:00 pm on Wednesday, April 2, 2014 at Weigel Funeral Home, Mandan. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday.
12 days after turning 98 years of age John passed away, he was born on March 17, 1916 to John and Christine (Burkhart) Weisser in Burnstadt, North Dakota. John was raised and worked on a farm until 1951 when he moved to Mandan and started his successful music career, which he loved.
At the age of 5, he started playing on a button accordion which his dad had brought over from Russia. In 1930, he purchased his first professional accordion. Payments for the accordion were $8.00 per month, a lot of money in 1930 making payments difficult to make. He was self-taught on the accordion and learned to read musical notes on his own. He practiced very hard to become accomplished musician.
After John moved to Mandan, he joined a traveling band and played one-night gigs for seven years. He traveled as far as the Mexican border and back. He then played with Johnny Heider and JMJ Trio which played nightly at Jerry’s Supper Club for 12 years.
Everyone in the Mandan area at one time has heard his music as he played for many local dances and functions of all kinds. In his 90’s, John was still playing for senior centers, nursing homes and the like.
Having a mechanical mind, he repaired many accordions for people all over the state of North Dakota. He was an avid rummage saler, where he bought many musical instruments and clocks which he restored. Many local kids brought their bicycles to John for repair. He made himself a 3-wheel bicycle (2 wheels in front) in which he could often be seen riding around town.
John lived life to the fullest and will be deeply missed by his sister, Emma Eiseman; five nephews, Jim (Sharon) Eiseman, Art and William Trautmann, Allan (Shari) Weisser and Willard Weisser; six nieces, JoAnn (Jerry) Walth, Betty (Ron) Werth, Loretta (Glen) White, Marveline (Tony) Becker, Diana (Larry) Wangler and Arlis (Wilbur) Buck.
John was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Jacob and August; sisters, Ottila Mitzel, Martha Trautmann and Pauline Kammerer.
Services will be held at 11:00 am on Thursday, April 3, 2014 at Messiah Lutheran Church, Mandan, ND with Rev. Mark Drew officiating. Burial will be at the Mandan Union Cemetery.
Visitation will be held from 4:00-7:00 pm on Wednesday, April 2, 2014 at Weigel Funeral Home, Mandan. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday.
12 days after turning 98 years of age John passed away, he was born on March 17, 1916 to John and Christine (Burkhart) Weisser in Burnstadt, North Dakota. John was raised and worked on a farm until 1951 when he moved to Mandan and started his successful music career, which he loved.
At the age of 5, he started playing on a button accordion which his dad had brought over from Russia. In 1930, he purchased his first professional accordion. Payments for the accordion were $8.00 per month, a lot of money in 1930 making payments difficult to make. He was self-taught on the accordion and learned to read musical notes on his own. He practiced very hard to become accomplished musician.
After John moved to Mandan, he joined a traveling band and played one-night gigs for seven years. He traveled as far as the Mexican border and back. He then played with Johnny Heider and JMJ Trio which played nightly at Jerry’s Supper Club for 12 years.
Everyone in the Mandan area at one time has heard his music as he played for many local dances and functions of all kinds. In his 90’s, John was still playing for senior centers, nursing homes and the like.
Having a mechanical mind, he repaired many accordions for people all over the state of North Dakota. He was an avid rummage saler, where he bought many musical instruments and clocks which he restored. Many local kids brought their bicycles to John for repair. He made himself a 3-wheel bicycle (2 wheels in front) in which he could often be seen riding around town.
John lived life to the fullest and will be deeply missed by his sister, Emma Eiseman; five nephews, Jim (Sharon) Eiseman, Art and William Trautmann, Allan (Shari) Weisser and Willard Weisser; six nieces, JoAnn (Jerry) Walth, Betty (Ron) Werth, Loretta (Glen) White, Marveline (Tony) Becker, Diana (Larry) Wangler and Arlis (Wilbur) Buck.
John was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Jacob and August; sisters, Ottila Mitzel, Martha Trautmann and Pauline Kammerer.
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