John Franklin Hjorth, 67, Town of Rockland, passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, December 29, 2016. He was born in Bellin Hospital in Green Bay, WI on April 2, 1949, to Irene & William Hjorth, of De Pere, WI. He was a lifelong resident of East De Pere. John attended Irwin School first, and then was one of the first students at Dickinson School and graduating from East De Pere High School in 1967. He then attended Wisconsin State University Superior, then transferred to UW Stevens Point, graduating in 1971 with a BS in Natural Resources/Forestry. Following a month long study in the Black Forest of Germany, he was hired to Lecture Forestry & Soils at UW-Stevens Point and two sessions of the College of Natural Resources Summer Camp at Clam Lake, Wisconsin. Returning to De Pere with side work duties in Ashland, WI, he began work in the audio-visual field as AV Director for Dickinson and Irwin Schools. That is where he met the love of his life, Donna Jean Schroeder, who was teaching 3rd grade. They married on October 23, 1976 at St. John's Lutheran in West De Pere. He then began work at Montgomery Ward in Green Bay, first in cameras and then to TV-Stereo and Appliances. When they began to eliminate full-time sales people, John went on to outside sales and then industrial and educational sales for Midwest Visual Equipment, Co. of Chicago, Il. During the next 22 years, with several AV dealers and 5 years with his own company, he was responsible for designing and installing some of the largest corporate and educational projects in the Northeast & Northern part of Wisconsin (his territory). Along the way, enough became enough and he went on to a new career in Life & Health Insurance Sales. This was directed work to the Senior Market for Bankers Life & Casualty of Green Bay, Ohio National Life Insurance in Oshkosh, Great American Senior Life of Elkhart Lake and FMS Financial Services of St. Charles, Il through the Bonduel State Bank Investment Center in Bonduel, WI. In 1992, their daughter, Beth Marie, came into John & Donna's life. A finer daughter no man or woman could ever ask for or expect. Through the years, she grew to be the light of their love, accompanying them to all the York Rite Conventions and Commandery Inspections. While working for John, she met James Saliger and married in 2005. James and Beth made the perfect couple, living life to the fullest, yet always there to help John and Donna, should the need arise. To them were born Joslyn Marie, Landen James, Rayne Elisabeth, Hayley Jean and Thea Ann. They are such loving grandchildren, providing hours and days of enjoyment for Grampy and Grammy John was always honored and proud to be a Freemason. It was a heritage handed down from his maternal Grandfather and Grandmother and from his Mother. John was a Master Mason and Past Master of Washington Lodge #21, a Knight Templar and Past Commander in Palestine Commandery #20, Companion and Past Thrice Illustrious Master in Warren Council #13, Companion and Past High Priest in Warren Chapter #8. He was a 32nd Degree Mason in the Scottish Rite Valley of Green Bay, a Noble and Charter Member of Beja Shrine in Green Bay, Past Soveriegn Master of the Heart of Wisconsin Chapter Allied Masonic Degrees, and holder of the Knight York Grand Cross of Honor. The last was awarded for being elected to serve as Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar for the State of Wisconsin. As such, he was a permanent member of the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of America and represented Wisconsin while serving as Grand Commander in 1994. Other Masonic memberships included White Shrine of Jerusalem and the York Rite College. John was also a member of the Loyal Order of the Moose in Green Bay and always enjoyed the fellowship of all the members. He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Olaf & Mena Johnson, his mother Irene Hjorth, father William Hjorth, brother William Hjorth and father in-law Harold Schroeder. jHe is survived by his wife, Donna, daughter, Beth Marie Saliger(James), grandchildren Joslyn Marie, Landen James, Rayne Elisabeth, Hayley Jean, Thea Ann and brother Douglas (De Pere). He is further survived by: mother in-law Lorraine Schroeder, sister in-laws Kathy Schaefer, Cindy Bauman, brother in-law Richard (Tracy) Schroeder, and nephew Bill Yorth, and niece Amanda (Nik) Krueger. A Masonic service for John will take place at 2:00PM on Thursday January 5, 2017 at RYAN FUNERAL HOME, De Pere, followed by a funeral service led by Pastor Cindy Warmbier-Meyer. Visitation will continue after the service until 6:00PM. The family wishes to thank all the Brown County First Responders, the staff of Home Instead Senior Care and the staff of Heartland Home Health Care and Hospice for their wonderful care and concern for John. In lieu of flowers, memorials could be made to the Shriners Children's Hospital.