John Paul Lehnherr

John Paul (Jack) Lehnherr, age 86, died on February 7, 2026, at New Perspective Senior Living in Minnetonka, Minnesota, closely attended by his family and caregivers after a rapid decline from dementia. He had moved from his Marshfield home in September 2025 into an assisted-living apartment in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, to be closer to his son, daughter, son-in-law, granddaughter and new great-granddaughter. His family will be ever grateful that he was able to meet his newborn great-granddaughter and proclaim her to be “precious.”

Jack was born on January 2, 1940, in Marshfield, Wisconsin, to Fred and Mary (Drackley) Lehnherr, the third of four children. He graduated from Marshfield Senior High School in 1959. After high school, he joined the National Guard and attended basic training in Washington state.

On September 29, 1962, Jack married Sandra Lea Arndt, and their first child, Lisa Marie, was born on August 8, 1963. Their son, Daniel Robert, was born on Nov. 29, 1970.

Jack completed a correspondence course in accounting, and after working for Porter Greenwood, he started his own accounting business, Data Flow Corporation, in1969. In addition, Jack and Sandie worked tirelessly as landlords of several properties in Marshfield over the years. He was also active in several civic organizations, including the Marshfield Elks Lodge, Kiwanis, the Marshfield Zoological Society, Whitetails Unlimited, and Ducks Unlimited.

Jack and Sandie enjoyed camping in the early years of their marriage, and in 1970 they bought a cabin in Phillips, Wisconsin, which they enjoyed renovating and expanding to host family and friends. Snowmobiling in winter and long summer weekends were favorite activities there. After Jack's retirement, they spent longer periods of their winters in Sarasota and Winter Haven, Florida.

Sandie kept Jack busy with her endless building and remodeling projects at home and at the cabin, but at heart Jack was the ultimate putterer, tinkerer, and practical problem-solver. He loved nothing more than developing a solution to an identified need, large or small. Frugal to the bone, he delighted in using what he had at hand, and he struggled to throw out anything that might possibly be useful in the future.

At the cabin, he loved fishing (mostly soaking a line in later years), hunting with his friends, sharing his water-skiing know-how from his years with Aqua Stars (once on a tabletop!), and motoring around in the pontoon boat. His legacy lives on at the cabin in countless hand-built projects, jury-rigged repairs, rubber-snubber tie-downs, and ingeniously designed contrivances that expand the use of something far beyond its original intent.

Jack loved to have a beer with his friends and tell a joke to anyone who would listen, even if he rarely remembered the punch line.

Jack is survived by his son Daniel Lehnherr, daughter Lisa (Eric) Hansen, granddaughter Victoria (Jack) Selzler, and great-granddaughter Adeline Rose Selzler.

He is preceded in death by his wife, his parents, his sisters Lois (Floyd) Nikolai and Beverly (Dick) Olson, his brother Robert Lehnherr, and his grandson Alexander James Hansen.

A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, at Rembs, 300 S. Oak Ave, Marshfield , Wisconsin. Visitation will begin at 1 pm, with the service at 2 pm. A light luncheon will follow. The service will be streamed online at www.facebook.com/rembsfuneralhomes. Memorials in lieu of flowers can be directed to the American Cancer Society, in honor of the support he provided for his wife Sandie during her repeated battles with breast cancer.