Obituary: John Wayne Schletzbaum

John Wayne Schletzbaum, a faithful family man, respected agricultural engineer, and lifelong  steward of the land, passed away on Sunday, May 24, 2026. John will be remembered as a man of faith,  humility, and unwavering dedication—a patient teacher, a generous mentor, a planner who thought ahead,  and a humble leader whose influence reached far beyond his words. His legacy lives on in the land he  cared for, the innovations he helped shape, and most of all his family.  

John was born in Atchison, Kansas, in 1942, and raised on a dairy farm north of Nortonville,  Kansas, where he attended a oneroom schoolhouse. It was there, in the fields and barns of his childhood,  that he learned the values that shaped his life: honesty, perseverance, responsibility, and a deep respect for  the land. These early lessons became the foundation of his family, his engineering career and his lifelong  work as a farmer. 

John married Donna Lee Noll in Effingham, Kansas, in 1964, beginning a partnership marked by  love, faith, and shared purpose. In 1973, they purchased a farm south of Hudson, Iowa, where they raised  crops and livestock while John continued his engineering career. Together, they raised their three children —David, Deanna, and Jana—teaching them the importance of family, faith, hard work, and the joy of a wellrounded life. Their home was filled with the rhythms of farm life, the warmth of extended family, and  the traditions that bound them together.  

Family adventures became a treasured part of their story. John and Donna took their children on  annual vacations, traveling to nearly every state and visiting countless national parks. Their favorite  tradition was the yearly trip to Brookside Resort in Minnesota, shared with close family friends— memories that remain deeply cherished. 

As they neared retirement, they relocated to Indianola, Iowa in 2004 where they purchased land  to build their home and continue their passion for farming.

John graduated from Kansas State University in 1965 with a degree in Agricultural Engineering.  While in college, he interned with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, surveying land for watershed  control projects. After graduation, he began his distinguished career with John Deere at the Product  Engineering Center in Cedar Falls, Iowa. 

During his nearly four decades at John Deere, John rose to become Manager of Worldwide Drive  Train Engineering for agricultural products, retiring in 2004. He was a key member of a select group of  engineers whose work resulted in four U.S. patents and helped shape the strategic direction of the 4WD  (four-wheel drive) tractor. He was widely respected for his leadership, particularly his ability to guide a  product from concept to production with clarity, foresight, and steady determination. 

In 1997, John received the Iowa Engineer of the Year Award, recognizing his innovation,  technical expertise, and influence within the field of agricultural engineering. He was a member of the  American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. A modern conservationist, he embraced  innovative techniques to protect and improve the land, blending traditional farming wisdom with  forwardthinking stewardship. 

Beyond his professional achievements, John remained deeply connected to his community and  the land he loved. He was a member of the Hudson Lions Club and the Knights of Columbus. In their later years, John and Donna embraced the joy of travel, exploring countries around the  world with dear friends and creating memories that enriched their life together. 

John is survived by his wife, Donna Schletzbaum; his children David (Esther) Schletzbaum,  Deanna (Mike) Dunn, and Jana (Jeremy) Lynch; and his grandchildren Vanessa (Jonathan) Bernard,  Adriana Salas, Garrett (Haleigh) Schletzbaum, Rachel McMillan, Lauren (Will) Caldwell, Adam Dunn,  Connor Lynch, and Brady Dunn. He is also survived by three greatgrandchildren: Lorenzo, Leo, and  Makenna. John is also survived by his sisters Sharon (Ken) Steuart and Donna (Chris) Willoughby. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, Esther and Wayne Schletzbaum, and by his beloved  grandson, Alex Lynch.

A Funeral Mass was held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, June 1, 2026 at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic  Church with burial following in the Indianola I.O.O.F. Memorial Gardens Cemetery. In lieu of flowers,  memorials can be made in memory of John to the Iowa Chapter of the American Parkinson Disease  Association and to St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church. To sign an online condolence, visit our website  at www.overtonfunerals.com.