John J. Ganga, age 91, went to be with his Lord on Monday, October 19, 2026.

John was born on April 15, 1935, in Iron Mountain, Michigan, the son of William and Molly (Zacardi) Ganga. John was proud of his upbringing in an Italian American household. He was an outstanding athlete and was the area’s first ever Lineman of the Year selection as a High School All American football player. John went on to attend a naval preparatory school for a year and was a member of the United States Navy until 1961. He then went on to play football for Michigan State University, eventually transferring to Winona State University where he met Joan Fend.

In 1959, John was married to Joan Fend. Together they raised two children, John and Katy, and created many memories with lifelong friends and neighbors.

John began his teaching career at Columbus High School in 1959, where he taught several different classes. During his years in education, he also served as a school advisor and assistant principal for three years. He coached high school football from 1959 to 1968 and continued sharing his love of sports by coaching numerous youth teams, including those of his own children. In 1970, John began his career in the insurance industry with Richards Insurance Agency serving the community for nearly 40 years.

In 1997, John was married to Lois Erkkila.

John was a community-minded individual who generously dedicated his time to serving others. He served as a board member and president of the Prairie Ridge Health Foundation and as president of the St. Vincent de Paul board. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus and Kiwanis. He also served as a Citizen Appointee on the City of Columbus Board of Review and The Columbia County Board of Supervisors.

An avid outdoorsman and nature lover, John especially enjoyed hunting and fishing with his son, John. Some of his favorite moments were spent at deer camp in Cornucopia, Wisconsin, alongside lifelong friends, a tradition they upheld for over 50 years.

John will be fondly remembered for his unmistakably loud coaching voice, his ever-present comforting smile, and his dedication to his family and community.

John was preceded in death by his parents, other relatives, and his first wife, Joan Ganga. John is survived by his wife Lois; his children, John W. (Brenda) Ganga and Katy (Jason) Geiger; his stepchildren, Tracey (Jay) McMahon, Peter (Kelly) Erkkila, and Brian (Lynette) Erkkila; his grandchildren, Kyle (Dani) Geiger, Katelyn Geiger, Jacob Ganga, and Paige Ganga; his great-granddaughter, Isla Geiger; other relatives and friends.

A Funeral Mass will be held at 11:30 A.M. on Saturday, October 24 at St. Jerome Catholic Church, Columbus with visitation beginning at 9:30 A.M. Rev. Jim Leeser will officiate. Inurnment will be in St. Jerome Cemetery at a later date.

Memorials may be directed to Prairie Ridge Health Foundation to support the cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation programs or to St. Jerome in Columbus, Wisconsin.

A special thank you to the cardiac and pulmonary rehab team at Prairie Ridge Health and an extraordinary thank you to Dr. Rolf Poser who provided exceptional care throughout John’s life.

We encourage you to share your online condolences with John’s family at jensenfuneralandcremation.com