Bemidji - John B. Parenteau, 98, died Friday, February 20, 1998 at North Country Regional Hospital in Bemidji.
A celebration of life was held Tuesday, February 24 at 11 a.m. at St. Philip's Catholic Church with Reverend Michael Patnode officiating. Casketbearers were Michael Allen, Jamie Allen, Christopher Bliss, Adam Holler, Levi Davis, Louis Jenson and Lenny Jenson. Honorary casketbearers were members of Bemidji Eagles Aerie 351. Interment will be in the Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery in Bemidji in the spring. The Olson-Schwartz Funeral Home of Bemidji was in charge of the arrangements.
John Baptist Parenteau was born June 2, 1899 in Terrebonne, the son of Louis and Zelia Parenteau. He grew up on the farm southwest of Terrebonne and attended the Bugalo Country School. He worked on the farm with his parents.
On March 31, 1921 he was united in marriage to Ida Piche in Terrebonne. During the 1920's the couple moved to the Dakotas where John worked on a farm. When his parents retired, the couple returned to Terrebonne to operate the family farm. During the winter horse breeding months John traveled to area farms in a cart behind his Percheron stallion. In 1934 they moved to Ada where they owned and operated a gas station until 1936 when the moved to Bemidji where John worked with his brother Joe at Parenteau Body Shop and Automobile Upholstery. In 1938 they opened the Paul Bunyan Night Club which they owned and operated until 1948. They owned and operated the Paul Bunyan Trailer Court from 1948 until they retired in 1981.
John enjoyed visiting with family and friends and working in the trailer park where he shoveled snow, cut grass and parked mobile homes and summer campers until the age of 97.
He was an active member of St. Philip's Catholic Church in Bemidji, Bemidji Eagles and was a past member of Bemidji Moose.
John is survived by one son, Vern Parenteau (friend Sheryl Ristvedt) of Bemidji; one daughter, Patti (Duane) Bauman of Oak Creek, WI; nine grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Ida; parents; 12 brothers and sisters, one son, Louis; two grandsons, Louis Parenteau and Jeffrey Parenteau; one great-grandson, Cory Bliss; and one daughter-in-law, Addie Parenteau.