John Morrell Prohaska Sr. was born August 1st, 1924, in Riceville IA on the family farm to parents Rosella and John James Prohaska. He lived with his grandparents on farms in Riceville, Iowa area and in his teen years the family moved to a farm in Leroy, Minnesota. In 1942, he moved with his father, John J Prohaska to Des Moines where he resided the rest of his life. John was the quintessential Greatest Generation American man. He was drafted into the United States Marines, where he bravely fought in the Battle of Guadalcanal in World War II. He took a bullet in the hip during the war and later received a Purple Heart for his efforts. After his military service he returned to Des Moines and graduated from West High School with a GI Bill.
After returning home he met the love of his life, Helen Prine, while working at Swift & Company in Des Moines. They were married on August 12, 1948 and soon began raising a family on the Southside of Des Moines where they resided for the remainder of their lives. They had 3 children, John Jr, Judi, and Sandy. Later they became grandparents and eventually great-grandparents. Family was the center of their universe. John and Helen would host every birthday party and holiday at their beautiful acreage near Ewing Park.
John and Helen’s life together was built on simplicity. John worked at A&B Electric where he was an Electric Motor Repairman. Helen would make dinner when he got home from work while patiently listening to his typical review of the workday. There was a rhythm to their life that was beautiful and sweet. When Helen’s health began to decline, the roles reversed. John became the patient one, fixing meals and doting on his wife until her final days. She passed after 63 years of marriage and he never stopped thinking about her, even in his last hours.
John was known for staying active, and when he wasn’t working, he had many hobbies. He tended a large garden that yielded enough sweet corn to sell to the neighborhood and local businesses. There are many fond memories of selling ears of corn out of the back of his old blue Chevy pickup. 13 ears in a dozen, and a smile for each customer. His gardening skills were not limited to sweet corn. When he became too weak to get out in the field, he kept tomato plants on his deck and produced some of the biggest, reddest tomatoes a person has ever seen.
He also enjoyed cutting and splitting firewood for their living room stove. He was still running a chainsaw into his 90’s. When all the work was done for the day, he might lay down on the floor right in front of that warm stove and take a nap.
When he wasn’t busy, he enjoyed watching a ballgame. Notably the Cubs and Hawkeyes. He also loved music. Music that had some “boogie woogie” or “get up and go to it” as he would enthusiastically say. He would turn up the volume on his old Wurlitzer jukebox and give a little dance as the music played, always with a big smile.
It’s impossible to encapsulate the totality of a nearly 100-year life in a single page. Perhaps the most telling reflection of how full John’s life really was the enormous close-knit family he leaves behind. His 3 children, John Jr. (Pam), Judi (Tony), and Sandy (Marc). His 9 grandchildren, and current tally of 10 great grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his wife, Helen; his infant son, David and two step grandchildren, Joshua and Jonathon Fuller.
Funeral Services will be held on Friday, June 14th, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. at the Ankeny Funeral Home, 1510 West First Street, Ankeny, Iowa, 50023. Visitation will be held one hour before the service at the funeral home. Burial with Full Military Honors will be held at Highland Memory Gardens following the service.
Memorials may be directed to the family and will be given to a charity of their choosing at a later date.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be left for the family at www.ankenyfuneralhome.com.
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