John Weiterschan

John "Hans" Weiterschan, age 93, passed away peacefully on March 27, 2026. John was German born in Großbetschkerek, Banat in present-day Serbia in 1932. At age 12, partisans evicted all Germans living in the town from their homes and placed them in an internment camp. As the oldest son, John escaped the camp and walked the 18 miles home to Serbian and Hungarian neighbors asking for food for his family. He also worked as a shepherd outside the camp. When the camp dissolved, the family moved to Judenburg, Austria, to reunite with their father. In Austria, John worked in the British army's canteen while looking for opportunities to immigrate to the United States. In 1955, the family arrived in Chicago. He served in the Army National Guard. He met Irmgard Unterreiner at a German dance in 1959. They married later that year. In 1962, he started a job with Fluid Power Systems, a hydraulic valve factory. From shop foreman to eventual plant manager, he stayed with Fluid Power Systems which became a division of United Technologies until his retirement. John loved to garden and tackle home improvement projects. His basement and his yard were his personal domain. He never forgot his heritage and was an active member of the Society of the Danube Swabians for many years. He was a great role model for his family who were very important to him. He loved spending as much time as possible with his children, grandchildren and other family members. John was the beloved husband of Irmgard (nee Unterreiner) for 66 wonderful years; loving father of Helga A. (Joseph) Grosskopf and Ingrid M. (Walter Szulczewski) Weiterschan; dear son of the late Katharina and Ferdinand; cherished grandfather of Vanessa (Dan) Noreika, Natasha (Jesus Sanchez) Grosskopf and Walter Szulczewski; great-grandfather of Katie Jane Noreika; dearest brother of Katharina (Anton) Voelker, and brother-in-law of John (Hilda Schneider) Unterreiner, and a fond uncle of many. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in his memory to the Society of the Danube Swabians of Chicago at 625 E. Seegers Road Des Plaines, Illinois 60016 or to the American Heart Association.

Visitation: Wednesday, April 8, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Cumberland Chapels 8300 W. Lawrence Ave., Norridge, IL. We will then proceed to St. Rosalie Church in Harwood Heights for Mass at 12:00 p.m. The interment will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery in River Grove. For more information call (708)456-8300.