John M. Lape

John M. Lape, age 46 of Maple Grove passed away unexpectedly on 10/13/18.  Survived by wife, Abigail; daughter, Amanda; son, Dean; parents, Kathy and Wayne Lape; brother, Paul (Kara) Lape and their children, Mason, Karey, and Micah; sister, Kariann (Chad) Buser; uncle, Vito DiMucci; and many other loving family and friends.  Born April 20, 1972, one of three children, he grew up in Chicago Ridge, where he developed his lifelong love of the Chicago Bears.  He was in a variety of activities in his youth, including YMCA’s Indian Guides and Trailblazers, wrestling, and water polo.  Not surprisingly, he also excelled in math and debate competitions.  John graduated with top honors in 1990 from Brother Rice High School(meriting a full-ride scholarship), from the University of Illinois with a B.S. in Business Administration, and later from the University of Memphis with a Masters of Business Administration.  After marrying his college sweetheart in 1996, John and Abby enjoyed the early years of their marriage in Dayton and Memphis, where they earned their black belts in Tae Kwan Do, had their children, and built their careers.

John had an impressive career as an IT professional at Cargill, Target, and most recently Integrhythm.  Friends routinely took advantage of his ability to problem solve any pesky computer glitch.  John actively participated in activities with his children Amanda and Dean, including leading Dean’s Boy Scout Troop 537 and chaperoning their Wolf Ridge Retreats.   Adventurous and fun-loving, John encouraged us to try to new things and was particularly handy around the campfire.  A self-proclaimed nerd, our “techie” John needed to have the latest gadget, loved Star Wars science fiction, and all Marvel comic story lines.  Faith was a big part of John's life.  He was an active parishioner at St. Joseph the Worker in Maple Grove, Minnesota, serving as a long-time Faith Formation teacher, a lector, and an active leader of the Knights of Columbus, including serving as Grand Knight.  John always led by example with joy and a smile, and he taught his children the importance of honesty, integrity, hard work, and persistence.

Mass of Christian Burial Saturday (10/20), 9:30 AM at the Church of St. Joseph the Worker, 7180 Hemlock Lane, Maple Grove.  Interment St. Patrick’s Cemetery.  Visitation Friday (10/19) AT CHURCH, 3-8 PM with 6 PM prayer service followed by memory sharing and 7:30 PM Knights of Columbus Rosary. Visitation continues one hour before the Mass on Saturday.  In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred in John’s name to the Church of St. Joseph the Worker.