John Steven Auten

John Steven Auten, 81 of McGregor, Iowa passed away Sunday, October 27, 2024 at Gundersen Health in La Crosse, Wisconsin. John was born February 22, 1943 to Lyman “Bill” and Clora (Lynn) Auten in Davenport, Iowa. He graduated from Newton Senior High School with the class of 1961. John joined the Iowa Air National Guard & was very proud of this.

John & Sheridan “Sherry” Elizabeth Bush started their family in Rochester, New York before settling down in Newton in 1978. They had a daughter & son who they cherished. John loved cooking. He resonated this through restaurants they owned. The favorite was in Newton, a concession style deli (The Food Factory) contracted through the Maytag Co. They moved to McGregor in 1990 - 2024, where they briefly owned & operated The Little Switzerland B & B and Burghandy Inn. John’s daily routine was going to the Pocket City Pub to socialize. He loved talking with all of his friends.

He was a member of the Elks in Colorado and in Newton. John & Sherry loved their animals. Especially his German Shepard (38 Special), cats BB & Molly. He had a great passion of boating on the Mississippi River, where he got his nickname “Jet Boat”. His favorite pastimes varied with flying kites, riding bikes in RAGBRAI and hiking the mountains in Leadville, Colorado, where they had their vacation home & remodeled this house to operate completely off grid utilizing solar power.

Those left to honor John’s memory include his daughter, Jennifer (fiancé, Brian Hamann) of Harpers Ferry, Iowa; son, Joshua Auten; beloved granddaughter, Keisha Angel Wunch and his dog, Bluto of Waterville, Kansas; two grandsons, Johnny Muilenburg and Nick Muilenburg; two great-granddaughters, Maizie Pierce and Mylee Muilenburg; brother, Doug (Tanya) Auten of Tennessee; two sisters, Melinda (John) Meikle of Florida and Deborah Van Auten of Boston, Massachusetts; and nieces and nephews.

John was preceded in death by his wife, Sheridan “Sherry” Elizabeth Bush Auten on July 11, 2022; and his parents, Bill & Clora Auten.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, December 14, 2024 from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm at his daughter’s (fiancé Brian Hamann) home: 221 State Highway 76, Harpers Ferry, Iowa.

Plants & flowers are welcome or memorial contributions may be directed to the family & will be used in loving memory to honor John and Sherry’s legacy.

Thornburg-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service of McGregor, Iowa is assisting the family with arrangements.