John J. Lau

John J. Lau, beloved husband, father, grandpa, great-grandpa, brother, teacher and friend, passed away peacefully on September 1, 2025, at the age of 78.

John was born on May 22, 1947, to Theodore and Viola (Dahlke) Lau, in the town of New London, WI. He was the youngest of three children. He was baptized and made a precious child of God on June 15, 1947, by Pastor Harold Wicke at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Hortonville, WI.

John attended St. John’s Lutheran School in Wauwatosa, WI, for grade school where his father was teacher and principal. He was confirmed in the faith at St. John’s Lutheran Church in 1961. He went on to Wisconsin Lutheran High School and graduated in 1965. John decided to follow in his father and brother’s footsteps and went to school to be a teacher. He attended Milwaukee Lutheran Teachers College for two years and Dr. Martin Luther College, New Ulm, MN, for two years. Upon graduation from DMLC, John was assigned to teach Salem Lutheran School in Edmonds, WA, and taught there for five years before accepting a Call to teach at St. Paul’s Lutheran School in Onalaska, WI. John furthered his education by attaining his Masters Degree in Education at UW-La Crosse in August of 1997. John enjoyed many years of mentoring student teachers and then later on being a part of a mentoring program in the WELS. John retired from teaching after 47 years in the ministry in 2016.

John met the love of his life, who happened to be on his college bowling team, Irmgard Zielke, in 1966. They dated and were engaged on Christmas of 1968 and were married in Fond du Lac, WI on July 26, 1969. John and Inky were blessed with six children: Jeanette, Rebecca (Andrew), Timothy John, Rachel (in heaven), Martha and Bethany (Seth). John is further survived by twelve grandchildren: Shannon (Dan) Sprehn, Jamie (Ethan) Thomas, Abbie and Zack Niemeier; Jack, Cooper John, and Hudson Lipski; Austin, Tayvis, and Maya Lau; Liam and Edwin John Ferkenstad. John is the proud great-grandpa of Stella, Nova, and Vivian Sprehn; Jackson, Grayson John, and Logan Thomas along with the Thomas Twins arriving in October 2025.

John is preceded in death by both of his parents, and his daughter, Rachel. John is survived by his sister Shirley and niece Betsy who live in Milwaukee and his brother Ted who resides in Onalaska. He is also survived by sisters-in-law, Brenda Long, Linda Jillson and Phyllis Krajewski; brother-in-law, Guthrie Zielke, and many nieces and nephews.

The family wishes to thank the staff at Mulder’s Nursing Home and St. Croix Hospice for their care of John and his family.

To a teacher, friend, coworker, brother, husband, father, grandpa, and great-grandpa - well done, good and faithful servant.

Visitation will be held at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Onalaska on Saturday, September 6, from 10 am - 1 pm. A Christian funeral service will follow at 1 pm with Pastor Brett Ehlke officiating. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Paul’s Lutheran School in loving memory of Mr. Lau.