John Walter Lanpher

For more than 87 years, we had the gift of John Walter Lanpher’s love, optimism and joy. John was born on June 5, 1939, in Wayzata, Minnesota, and passed away peacefully on August 28, 2026, in Parker, Colorado. In between, he lived a full and beautiful life—one defined by family, friendship and an unmistakable enthusiasm for just about everything.

John’s early years weren’t always easy. His mother died when he was just 12 years old, and because his father was a traveling salesman, John spent time living with various relatives before eventually making his home with his aunt and uncle. He graduated from Mound High School, where he was the school photographer and sang in the choir. At the University of Minnesota, he loved attending hockey and football games and especially reveled in being part of the card section, proudly showing his school spirit.

John joined the Air Force with dreams of becoming a pilot, but asthma cut that chapter short after exactly five weeks and four days—a detail he never forgot. It didn’t, however, end the dream. Years later, John earned his private pilot’s license and took to the skies on his own terms.

It was at a bowling alley in Minnesota that John spotted Dianna Larson, the woman who would become the love of his life. He swept her off her feet, and after just one year of dating, they married on June 18, 1966. Their personalities complemented each other perfectly, and over the next 57 years, they created a marriage, family and life filled with deep love and devotion.

John and Dianna began their married life in Minnesota, welcoming their son, Brad, in 1969 and their daughter, Keri, in 1973. They loved Minnesota and the friendships they had there, but when Brad struggled with worsening asthma, the family moved to Colorado in search of a drier climate. What began as a move for their son’s health became home.

In Colorado, John did what came naturally to him: he connected with people. With his charisma, sparkling personality and gift for conversation, sales was a natural fit. He spent many years in the specialty advertising business before becoming the owner of Heritage Vacuum. His success came not from high-pressure salesmanship, but from exactly the opposite. John was honest, genuine and trustworthy. Customers sometimes drove more than an hour to shop at his store simply because they trusted him—and he never stopped being amazed and grateful that they did.

Outside of work, John was always finding something to be excited about. He and Dianna loved camping and had countless adventures throughout Colorado and across the country. He had a special fascination with lighthouses and visited as many as he could, with Split Rock Lighthouse in Minnesota holding the top spot in his heart. One of his proudest adventures was taking Brad canoeing in Minnesota’s Boundary Waters.

John also devoted many years to Boy Scouts, eventually serving as Scoutmaster. And then there were the trains. His basement became home to an incredible model train town, painstakingly created down to the smallest detail and filled with landmarks named for members of the family – Mt. Bradley Ski Area, Ben’s Corner Tavern, Dianna Falls and more. It wasn’t simply a hobby; it was a world he delighted in creating and sharing.

And on Sundays during football season, there was no mistaking where John’s loyalty lay. He was an avid Denver Broncos fan whose cheers could sometimes be heard by the neighbors. No matter the score, John remained convinced a comeback was possible until the clock officially hit zero. That optimism extended far beyond football—it was simply how he approached life.

More than anything, John thrived in his role as Dad to Brad and Keri. He was completely invested in their lives—coaching baseball and soccer, showing up for every game and celebrating every milestone. He was the resident math expert, spending countless evenings at the kitchen table patiently helping them make sense of the day’s lesson. He was an equally patient driving instructor. His philosophy was simple: if you could learn to park the family’s 1977 station wagon, you could park anything.

John faced one of life’s most unimaginable losses when Brad died of melanoma at just 35 years old. His heart was broken, but his love for his son found a new purpose. John and his family became passionate advocates for melanoma education, creating an annual Melanoma Awareness campaign at Sunlight Mountain Resort that provided free skin screenings and raised funds for research. It was one more way John continued to care for others, even through his own grief.

Becoming Grandpa to Cooper and Abby brought John an entirely new kind of joy. He spent time with them every week after school and was a fixture at soccer games, dance performances and piano recitals. As they grew older, his pride only grew with them. When Cooper headed to the University of Wyoming and Abby to Colorado State University, John enthusiastically appointed himself cheerleader for both schools—going so far as to wear shirts from both teams when they played each other.

John and Dianna also made sure their grandchildren had plenty of adventures of their own. There were “field trips” to Tiny Town, museums and Christmas lights around the city; family camping trips; and vacations to Mount Rushmore, Disneyland, Legoland and San Diego. John soaked up every minute.

Family was, quite simply, John’s greatest source of pride and happiness. When Holly joined the family and later became Cooper’s wife, John embraced her immediately, and the two developed a special bond and enjoyed many lunch dates together.

The loss of Brad, and then of Dianna just over two years ago, left enormous holes in John’s heart. His devotion to Dianna never wavered. Every night at 10:00 p.m., he had a ritual: he would look at her picture, talk to her and tell her goodnight. After 57 years of marriage, their bond remained as strong in her absence as it had been throughout their life together.

John will be remembered in countless ways: for his selflessness and optimism, his boisterous laugh and seemingly endless ability to talk to anyone about anything. For his corny jokes and fierce pride in his Swedish heritage. For his curiosity, his enthusiasm and his genuine interest in other people. And perhaps most of all, for his remarkable ability to make people feel welcome, valued and part of the family.

For John, life was something to participate in fully—to cheer loudly, love deeply, find joy in every day, and make the people around him feel like family.

John is survived by his daughter, Keri (Lanpher) Reisbeck; son-in-law, Ben Reisbeck; grandchildren, Abby and Cooper; and Cooper’s wife, Holly. He was preceded in death by his parents, Walter and Edith (Peterson) Lanpher; his brother, Richard Lanpher; his sister, Jean (Lanpher) Manning; his beloved son, Brad; and his wife and life partner, Dianna.

Please join us in celebrating John’s life on October 3, 2026 at 1:00pm at Bethany Lutheran Church in Cherry Hills, Colorado. For those unable to attend in person, the service will also be livestreamed through Bethany’s website.