John W. Adler

JOHN WADE ADLER, age 64 of Waseca died on Thursday, September 28, 2017 at North Memorial Hospital in Robbinsdale.

The oldest of three boys, John was born on February 15, 1953 in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Carl and Iris (Paullen) Adler.   He had a photographic memory and high school wasn’t enough of a challenge for him, so John went to Israel and stayed on the Kibbutz Beit Oren where he worked in a citrus orchard.  He joined the Israeli Army where he was a demolition expert and eventually promoted to the rank of Sergeant.  Following his service in 1976, John returned to the United States where he travelled and eventually made his way to Red Wing.  There he worked in an apple orchard and met his first wife, Tina.   They moved to Chicago where John began his career in computers.  In 1993, they adopted their son, Juán Vicente Adler from El Salvador.  John and Tina divorced in 1998. 

As part of his midlife crisis, John began skydiving around 1996 and it became his passion.  In 2003, he moved to Waseca to be closer to a drop zone.  He also started his own business as a Cisco computer engineer.   For the next 12 years skydiving, work, and his son consumed his life until 2015 when he met his wife, Tracy Roeker at the gym.  Before he knew what happened, they fell in love and were married on May 4, 2016 at Christ Community Church in Waseca.   Over the next two years, he spent less time skydiving and more time with his wife.   He also enjoyed gardening, reading outside, bird watching, playing piano, shooting, camping, hiking, fishing, swimming, and canoeing.   He and his wife enjoyed attending church together at Christ Community Church in Waseca.  John was also a member of Skydivers over Sixty.

John’s final skydive jump (#4,197) was on September 23, 2017.  After landing safely, he suffered a stroke and died on September 28th, surrounded by his family.

He is survived by his wife, Tracy of Waseca; son, Juán Vicente Adler of Moose Lake; brother, William (Teresita) Adler of San Diego, CA; sister-in-law, Kay Adler and nephew, Nick
Adler of Gurnee, IL.   He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Andrew.

Private family services will be held with interment to follow at Woodville Cemetery in Waseca. 

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