John W. Specht

John Wesley Specht, age 61, of Ripon, WI, passed away peacefully on Thursday, October 30, 2025.

John was born on September 18, 1964 in Ourtown, (Sheboygan Falls) WI, son of Wilmer and Violet (Mertz) Specht. His family soon moved to Connecticut where he attended Humiston School in Cheshire, CT. They then moved to Freeport, IL, where John worked at Malcolm Eaton Enterprises until moving to Ripon, WI in 2003. He worked at Diverse Options in Ripon for 17 years, where he met and became close with many dear friends.

John was known for his smile, and his love of others’ smiles. If you smiled at him, he was your friend forever, and especially if you were a lady. John also wanted you to know how strong he was with his firm handshake. He really looked up to his sports heroes, and had a deep passion for Wisconsin college sports as well as the Ripon Tigers. He would make his way on to the field at the end of a game and make friends with the players. John knew the importance of players and teams being #1. He became so fond of the #1 that he would prefer a $1 bill over a $20 bill. His wallet could be filled with money but if he didn’t have a $1 bill, he would consider himself broke.

John loved to travel with his family; going for “spins” in the car; bicycle rides; walks; going to lunch with family or friends; playing the organ; and would often write personal letters, especially to his lady friends. He enjoyed reading The Bible and was a devoted member of Trinity Ev. Free Church in Ripon.

John is survived by his brother, Jerry (Judy) Specht of Markesan, WI; brother-in-law, Chester Rawson also of Markesan, WI; a niece, Michelle (Kelley) Drake of Chicago, IL; a nephew, Max (Kelly) Rawson of Verona, WI; great-niece and great-nephews, Olivia Rawson, Brody Drake, Bennett Drake, and Nathan Drake; other relatives; and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Wilmer and Violet Specht; and a sister, Janet Rawson.

Visitation for John will be held from 9:30 am until 11:00 am on Friday, November 7, 2025 at Trinity Ev. Free Church, 777 Harvey St., Ripon, WI 54971. A memorial service will follow at 11:00 am, with Pastor Paul Ethington officiating. Inurnment will take place at Green Lake Center Cemetery, Town of Green Lake, WI at a later date.

Memorials may be directed to Trinity Ev. Free Church, 777 Harvey St., Ripon, WI 54971 or to Diverse Options, 571 Fenton St., Ripon, WI 54971.

John’s family would like to extend a sincere heartfelt THANK YOU to his special caregivers who were so good to him; Sally, Alicia, Chris, and Kierra, and to SSM Hospice for their care at the end.