John Ross Lintz passed away on January 25, 2022, due to complications from surgery.
The second child and oldest son of Jack and Elouise Lintz, John was born on March 7, 1947, in Vallejo, California. He was just a toddler when Jack and Elouise moved their young family to South Dakota, where they raised John and his siblings Linda, Tom and Jim on their picture-perfect ranch along Grace Coolidge Creek.
Boyhood along the creek meant fishing, hunting, wild plum and berry picking, and he enjoyed those outdoor pleasures his entire life. Growing up with a sister, two younger brothers plus his Lintz cousins meant adventure, misadventure, and physical competition, especially on the driveway basketball court.
John was an exceptional all-around athlete, but he was custom-built for basketball and played competitively – emphasis on the word competitive - for more than 40 years. The future South Dakota Basketball Hall of Famer was a standout Rapid City Cobbler and University of South Dakota Coyote, played in 15 straight state amateur tournaments for the Rapid City Macy’s, and played Senior Olympic ball with the Legends, who won the national five-on-five title in 1997.
Professionally, John was a builder. He worked concrete for Lintz Bros. Construction, he built houses, including his own, sold Morton Buildings, and supervised a multitude of large projects for a local contractor until his retirement. In retirement, he found his dream job mowing the Hart Ranch golf course.
Like all good men, John’s true loves were his family and his dearest friends. He married Sheri Oleson and became a father to daughter Jennah. John and Michelle Poe were married on November 16, 1974, and they welcomed daughters Jordan and Ashley. John became the penultimate “Girl Dad,” playing the role of mentor, coach and cheerleader in life and in his daughter’s pursuits of music, softball, basketball, volleyball, golf and (reluctantly) soccer.
John leaves behind his beloved wife and partner of 47 years, Michelle, daughters Jennah Lintz, Jordan Lintz (Russ Colon) and Ashley Lintz (Matt Mickley); sister Linda Lintz; brothers Tom Lintz (Kelley) and Jim Lintz (Brenda); and countless nieces, nephews, cousins and life-long friends.
His parents Jack and Elouise Lintz and niece Annalee Ventling passed before him and surely welcomed him in Heaven.
