John Decker

John Edward "Jay" Decker, passed away peacefully in December 2024 at his beloved cabin in Duluth, MN. John loved doing the things he loved: enjoying all the outdoor wonders of Lake Superior and the North Shore, audacious projects like building a new cabin by hand, tinkering with various cars and boats, playing guitar and chess, visiting the library at UMD, planning sailing adventures, contemplating his spirituality, astrology, and the afterlife, and spending time with his children and grandchildren in California and the Twin Cities.

Born January 26th, 1945 in St. Paul, MN to a large family of 9 brothers and sisters, he attended Cretin-Derham Hall, University of Minnesota, and then William-Mitchell College of Law where he received his Juris Doctorate. John took off to California shortly after college and then adventured to the Big Island of Hawaii where he embraced the hippy lifestyle for a decade - and even made a bid for the House of Representatives when he was 31. In the early 1980s, he returned to St. Paul to raise children and ultimately settled north to Duluth, MN.

John was preceded in death by his parents (Charles and Jean) and brothers (Charles, Larry, and David). He is survived by his former wife Norma, siblings (Mary, Liz, Jean, Emmy, Fran, and Tom), children Matthew (Emily) and Dave (Amanda), and Grandchildren Wynn and Ash.

A celebration of life will take place on Friday, January 24th 2025 at Simple Traditions by Bradshaw, 671 Snelling Avenue South, Saint Paul, Minnesota between 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM.