John Joseph Cizek II

John Joseph Cizek II, 69, of Bloomington, Minnesota, passed away on October 29, 2026. He will be forever loved and missed by his devoted wife, Dianne; his children, Jenna (Kory) Stark, Alex Cizek and Jack Cizek; his grandchildren, Erick and Eva; and his wonderful siblings.

Born on March 27, 1957, to Lloyd and Josephine Cizek at the Air Force base in Abilene, Texas, “Johnny” was raised in St. Paul as the oldest of six children. After attending Cretin High School, he went on to study accounting at Gonzaga University and later became a CPA.

After moving back to St. Paul, John found himself at a Halloween party in 1981 in downtown Minneapolis. Dressed as the Pink Panther, he quickly became enamored by a woman clad in a kimono. Dianne was equally charmed by his quick wit and easygoing nature. A night dancing and easy chatter turned into a 45-year partnership and love story.

It was hard not to be charmed by John, who was unflappable, easy-going as ever, confident, sincere and carefree. He was buoyed by a genuine zest for life and happily anchored by his deep love for his family and unwavering faith.

To his children, John said yes to everything: A bike ride or wiffle ball game in the side yard, a last-minute pool night and sometimes, eight scoops of ice cream. No matter how long his work day, he came home energized and ready to be #1 dad – sitting down with the family to play an after-dinner board game or wrestling in the family room.

John was an excellent fan, always cheering the loudest of anyone at his kids’ games and never discouraged by the final results. He was all-in on his boys’ love for hockey, even building a backyard ice rink that he would dutifully water at 3am each winter night. When the Minnesota Wild held their first season, John brought the kids to a game and led them in learning the team’s official song on the way home. Even now, they can recall the words: “We were born the child of the strong and Wild in the State, the State of Hockey.”

John loved golf, biking and good company, and he collected countless friends along the way. Annual trips – The Cheddar golf tournament with fellow Cretin alums, father/son fishing trips to Canada, and golf getaways with friends to Daufuskie Island – were highlights in his busy social calendar.

Being "Papa" to Erick and Eva was one of the great joys of John’s life. He was thrilled to know them, to love them, and to watch his family grow into another generation. As with his own kids,

John reveled in being right in the action with the kids. He ran through the sprinkler with Erick and splashed in the kiddie pool with Eva. At age two, he threw Erick his very first pitch, and Erick hit it. He was playful through and through, the very best playmate.

John is survived by his wife, Dianne; daughter Jenna (Kory) Stark and grandchildren Erick and Eva; sons Alex and Jack Cizek; the siblings he adored, Bill (Clare) Cizek, Jeanette (Tom) Leighton, Jim (Jaymie) Cizek, Patty (Bill) Flynn and David Cizek; and in-laws Karen Breuninger, Linda Lien, Barb (Brad) Schmidt and Rick Ericksen. He is lovingly remembered by many nieces, nephews, cousins and dear friends whose lives he touched along the way.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Lloyd and Josephine Cizek, and his in-laws, Bud and Ruth Ericksen.

Through a nine-and-a-half-year battle with Alzheimer's disease that began when he was just 60, John kept a positive attitude and never once asked why. While he will be forever missed, we are grateful to know that he is now whole and happy in heaven.

The Cizek family would like to thank the staff at Suite Living and Grace Hospice for their loving care.

A Celebration of Life for John will be held on Wednesday, December 9, 2026, at The Church of St. Peter in Mendota/ St. Paul. Visitation begins at 10:00 a.m., followed by Mass at 11:00 a.m. and a luncheon.

memorial service

Celebration of Life

December 9, 2026

Church of St. Peter 1405 Sibley Memorial Hwy, St Paul, MN 55150, USA

Visitation begins at 10:00am followed by Mass at 11:00 with luncheon to follow.

Funeral/Cremation Provider: Crescent Tide Cremation Services