John Sondrol, 56, of Corpus Christi, TX was called home on Thanksgiving Day, November 23, 2017 at the Corpus Christi Medical Center following a sudden illness.  Visitation will be from 4-7 PM on Friday December 8, 2017 at the Geilenfeld Funeral Home in Oelwein with Military Honors at 7:00 PM by the American Legion Post 9 of Oelwein.  Funeral services will begin at 10:30 AM on Saturday December 9, 2017 at Zion Lutheran Church in Oelwein.  Interment will be in Woodlawn Cemetery at Oelwein.  A memorial fund has been established.

John Mark Sondrol was born in La Crosse, WI on January 27, 1961 to parents Knute and Florence (Finstad) Sondrol.  John attended Oelwein High school with the class of 1979.  He also attended Shattuck-St. Mary’ School of Faribault, MN.  As a child he worked alongside his family at their restaurant: Sondrol’s A&W Drive-Inn.  On May 16, 1981 he was united in marriage with Kitsararath (Kimmy) Nimchaimanathan at Zion Lutheran Church in Oelwein.  They later divorced.

In 1979, John enlisted in the United States Air Force and served four years, specializing in Aircraft Maintenance.  Following his military service, John was employed with various aircraft companies, the last 13 years being with CCAD: Corpus Christi Army Depot, Department of Defense.  Specializing in sheet metal, he rebuilt Blackhawk and Apache “warfighter” helicopters.  His boss shared that John was a “sheet metal wizard” and could design and fabricate items that manufacturers could not. 

John enjoyed living on Padre Island, where his hobbies included watching war movies, electronics, camping, shooting, boating and jetty fishing.  He especially enjoyed, and was outstanding at grilling shrimp and fish for his family, friends and neighbors.  He will be greatly missed by them all.

Left to mourn their loss is his son Johnathan (Cayla) Sondrol of Ft. Worth, TX; his brothers: David Sondrol of Oelwein and Ken (Pam) Sondrol of Longview, TX; his aunt Myrtle Dodge of Eau Claire, WI and uncle Robert Mulder of Kenosha, WI; several nieces, nephews and cousins; and his former wife Kimmy Sondrol-Stallings.  He was preceded in death by his parents Knute and Florence; his niece Robin Sondrol-Bienz and her husband David Bienz; several aunts and uncles.