PRIOR LAKE — Just a small-town boy, born and raised in south Fairmont, John Champine lived a cosmopolitan and full 75 years, until he quickly succumbed to a rare cancer while at home on Friday, July 2, 2021.

Born 1946, John was raised with a small town life, surrounded by lakes, farms, good neighbors, and using the “correct” names for items like pop and hotdish. After graduating from Fairmont High School in 1964, he attended the University of Minnesota, and though a gifted violinist who was offered a music scholarship, he graduated with degrees in Theater, French, English, and History. By 1968, he had “the good sense” in his words, to marry Lynn, his love of 55 years. They put down deep roots in the Twin Cities, as they raised their children, Nathan and Natalie, and cultivated a large circle of friends. John started his long career in the then nascent computer industry at Sperry Univac. In various roles, he rose quickly from programming data cards, to being a teacher in computer education and ended as manager in the software development division. Sperry offered him far-flung fun opportunities working in El Paso, Texas (White Sands Missile Range), South Africa, London, until settling back in Burnsville and later Prior Lake. He also was extremely proud of his later supercomputer work with Cray Research, and roles with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Labs, Datacard, Vital Images, and finally retiring from Thomas Reuters. John was an early member, and later chair, of the U of MN’s Computer Science Department Advisory Board. His hobbies were myriad, including boating, golf, cards, photography, debating current events and politics, seeing air shows and WWII warbirds, and travel, especially taking cruises. He loved ancestry and finding origins to his and others’ family tree. Long-term residents of Prior Lake, John and Lynn later became true snowbirds wintering in Arizona, spending time with many new friends. He is survived by his wife, Lynn; son, Nathan (Adrian); daughter, Natalie (Charles) Rhoden; and the grandchildren who called him ‘Papa’ – Julian, John, Connor and Genevieve. He also leaves behind numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and dear friends. All will miss his kind soul, stories, laughter, and the many fun days hosting and entertaining in their Prior Lake home. He was preceded in death by his mother, Genevieve; father, Ashley “Ted” Floyd; and brothers, Charles and George Champine.

Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. Friday, July 16, at Holy Trinity United Methodist Church in Prior Lake. Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, July 17, at Washburn-McReavy, Dawn Valley Chapel in Bloomington, Minn. Memorials are preferred and will be distributed by John’s family in his memory.