John Joseph Biver, age 75, passed away peacefully on his Town of Dewey farm on June 18, 2020.

John was born on June 6, 1945, to Joseph and Ruth (Swetland) Biver in Spooner, Wisconsin.  He attended Evergreen and Bashaw country schools and graduated from Shell Lake High School in 1963.  John graduated from the University of Wisconsin Farm Short Course in 1964.  He attended Barron County Teachers College in Rice Lake, WI, and graduated with a teaching diploma in 1967.  He graduated with a B.S. in Elementary Education from Northern Montana College in Havre, MT, in 1973.  John accepted a teaching position in Montana in 1967 and retired in 1992.  In addition to his elementary teaching duties, he served as high school head coach for football, wrestling, track, and girls’ basketball, and officiated boys and girls’ basketball, including many District, Divisional and State tournaments.  He was a big fan of the Spooner Rails and attended all football and basketball games.  He always sat on the top row on the other side of the gym with his brother, Tom.

After retiring in 1992, he accepted a teaching position in Hayward, WI, for two years.  He farmed in the Town of Dewey for 26 years with his brother, Tom, until his death.  John served as Town Chairman and Supervisor for several years.  In 2002 he was a national finalist for the 2002 Grassroots Government Leadership Award Program for his work after the 2001 Siren tornado.  He served as assessor for several townships for many years.  John served on the Board of Directors of the Shell Lake Co-op, Country Pride Co-op, and Almena Ag Co-op for 18 years.  John was a member of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church. 

John is survived by three brothers, Thomas (Mary) Biver of Spooner, Theodore (Judy) Biver of Rice Lake, and James Biver of Spooner; two sisters, Susan Hughes of Frederic, WI, and Mary (Daniel) Denver of Cumberland, WI; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.  He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Joseph Biver Jr.; and brother-in-law, Duane Hughes Jr. 

A memorial mass will be held at a later date with a private committal service.

Last Update: Jun 23, 2020 7:46 am CDT