John Wesley Horner

John W. Horner of Warroad passed away on June 4, 2022 in Grand Forks, ND at the age of 62.

There will be a Memorial Service led by Kyle Krahn at Woodland Bible Church, 506 Dale Ave. SW, Warroad, MN 56763 on Saturday, June 11, 2022, at 11:00 a.m.

John Wesley Horner, 62-years-old, died on Saturday, June 4, 2022, at Altru Hospital in Grand Forks, North Dakota after a long battle with radiation-induced tissue damage. His strong will to live, unwavering faith in God, and the love and prayers of family and friends carried him through to the very end. Yet, even throughout his own health struggles, he never stopped supporting his family in every way, always ensuring everyone had what they needed. 

John was born on March 9, 1960, in Warroad, Minnesota to Wesley and Hazel Horner. The youngest of two, he was a lifelong instigator of fun, known for his ease in frequent conversation with everyone, especially complete strangers. His signature laugh and contagious humor will never be forgotten by those who loved him, (and anyone that did not). In the fall of 1960, John's family moved to Leadville, Colorado where he spent a large portion of his childhood before returning to Warroad, where he would graduate high school and eventually raise his children.

In 2001 John met his sweetheart, Stephanie Hagen, through work and the careful prodding of a mutual friend. The couple married the following year on September 27th in Roseau, Minnesota. Married for 19 years, John & Stephanie enjoyed each other's company and spent as much time as possible camping and taking their two dogs on Ranger rides out in the forest – John’s dogs brought him so much joy! In 2018 they bought property that allowed them to thoroughly enjoy country life.

John worked for The Marvin Companies for 27 years in various capacities. Using his vast creative talents, John worked as the project manager and occasional designer on dozens of trade shows, events, and dealer showrooms - most notably Marvin's appearances at the International Builders Show for more than 20 years. However, he found his true calling in public service and was honored to faithfully serve as the Roseau County Commissioner, District 1 from his election in 2018 until his passing in 2022.

It is challenging to successfully capture John's life, his passions, or his memory with such limited space. His family enjoyed all the time spent with him and loved him unconditionally (as he loved them). He was a talented jack of all trades – he could build anything and fix just about anything that broke. He enjoyed reading, watching movies, and seeing the Warroad Warriors hit the ice. One of his favorite traditions was to watch the Minnesota Vikings with his son. He shared a love of cooking with his family and would do so as often as possible. He spent every moment he could with his wife, and family, and he was incredibly proud of each of them.

John was preceded in death by his father, Wesley Horner, father-in-law David Hagen and mother-in-law Kathleen Hagen.

His surviving family members are numerous, but include:

Wife of 19 years: Stephanie Horner

Two children & spouses: Darcy and Brandon Poole, and Shane and Chelsie Horner 

Seven grandchildren: Cullen, Harry, Finley, Moses, and Penelope Poole, and Lenora and Alfie Horner

Immediate family: Mother, Hazel Horner; sister, Colleen (Dale) Adams; niece Krysten (Todd) McKinven; nephew Nathan (Tia) Adams

In-laws: Mark and Julie Hagen, nieces Amanda (Joe) Lenk and Sam (Riley) Knodle.

And countless cousins, great-nieces, and great-nephews.

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