John Soper

John B. Soper, age 73, of Argyle, WI, passed away peacefully on Saturday, February 8, 2025, at his home. He was born on January 6, 1952, in Monroe, WI, the son of Willard and Mildred (Richter) Soper. John grew up in Argyle and graduated from Argyle High School in 1970. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in mathematics from UW-La Crosse in 1975 and later completed his MBA at UW-Madison in 1990. After college, John traveled to Australia to teach for several years. He returned to Argyle for a visit and reconnected with the love of his life, Marsha Paulson. They were married on June 24, 1978, in Serpentine, Victoria, Australia. John dedicated many years to working at Argyle Industries. Later, he returned to his passion for teaching, spending 10 years as a math teacher at Argyle High School before retiring. In his free time, John enjoyed playing cards, hunting, fishing, and cheering on his favorite teams with friends and family. John was known for his incredible sense of humor and ability to light up any room, his energy was contagious. Whether you were a lifelong friend or a newcomer, John made you feel like family. He was deeply devoted to his community and fiercely loyal to his favorite teams—the Green Bay Packers and Wisconsin Badgers. Game days at the Soper household were full of excitement and plenty of laughter. John is survived by his beloved wife, Marsha; his children: Lachlyn (Andrew) Lembke of Vienna, Austria; Sarah Soper of Argyle; and Anna (Ryan) Maxwell of Glendora, California; grandchildren: Maxwell, Parker, Ardenne, Lucia, Lily, Alixandra, and Meadow; and his sisters: Sharon (Jerry) Wyttenbach and Mary Jean Miao. He is further survived by his in-laws: Barbara Tollakson, Randy and Judy Paulson, and Connie and Jeff Williams, along with many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Gary Soper; his parents-in-law, Merlin and Priscilla Paulson; and his brother- and sister-in-law, Rod and Carol Paulson. John was an active member of Argyle Lutheran Church, Argyle EMS, the Argyle Planning Commission, the Argyle Rod & Gun Club, and a charter member of the Argyle Community Theatre. He had a beautiful singing voice and loved to perform. He also had an adventurous spirit and a passion for travel, visiting Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Norway, Germany, Italy, Egypt, Slovenia, Liechtenstein, Alaska, and many sites and National Parks within the U.S. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 29, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at Argyle Lutheran Church, with Rev. Daniel Bohlman officiating. Burial will follow at Woodlawn Cemetery in Argyle. Visitation will be held on Friday, March 28, 2025, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Erickson Funeral Home (801 Milwaukee Street, Argyle) and on Saturday from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m. at the church.