John Gunther Stein

John G. Stein, aka Johann Gunther Stein, passed away quietly on the morning of November 9, 2022, at Idaho Falls Community Hospital. He had just turned 88 years old the month before, on October 3rd.

He was born in Munich, Germany, the third child of Josef Stein and Maria Schaffner. He immigrated to the United States at the age of 19, in March of 1953, and lived with relatives in Chicago, Illinois. He then joined the US Air Force in October 1954. He and his future wife, Mary Anita Norsby, met at a dance while he was stationed at Malmstrom Air Force Base near Great Falls, Montana.

He was married to Mary on July 21, 1956, in Valier, Montana. Their first home together was in Massachusetts while he continued his military service and where they had their first child, a son, John Perry, in Springfield. He was discharged from the Air Force in August of 1958. After leaving the service, they moved back to Montana where Mary had been raised and worked on a ranch doing odd jobs. From there, they moved to the Seattle/Tacoma area of Washington. He began his career as a Mechanical-Electrical Engineer. Their second child, another son, Peter Josef, came while they were living in Kent, Washington, on August 25, 1965. They moved to Spokane, Washington, in 1968, and raised their sons while living in several different cities in Eastern Washington.

His sweetheart, Mary, passed away while they were living in Odessa, Washington, on November 4, 2008. He lost his youngest son, Peter, on April 22, 2017. He was also preceded in death by both of his parents and his nephew, Jurgen Stein, from his family residing in Germany.

He lived his last six months in Ammon, Idaho, while living with his son, John Perry and Cathy Stein. He was very healthy and busy until he was diagnosed with lung cancer in May of 2022. Even while he battled his cancer, he was talking about where his next job would be taking him. He was told by several medical professionals during his last week in the hospital how polite and positive he was. He continued to be positive to the end and constantly said "thank you" to everyone.

He is survived by his son, John (Cathy) Stein of Ammon, ID; his grandson, Jeffrey (Shayna) Stein of Chubbuck, ID and their three children; his granddaughter, Lindsey Stein of Idaho Falls, ID; his granddaughter, Kylie Stein of Spokane, WA and her son; and granddaughter, Ingrid (Casey) Mitchell and their two children of Pasco, WA; his brother, Josef (Irmgard) Stein of Schwenningen, Germany; his nephew, Peter (Monika) Stein and their two daughters, Jeanette Bucher-Stein and Yvonne Stein; his niece, Petra (Gerald) Glunz; and Petra Stein (wife of his nephew, Jurgen Stein, deceased).

Services will be planned for the spring in Montana.