John H. Hugo

John H. Hugo, 88, of Mason City, died Saturday, April 19, 2025, at his home surrounded by family. Per John’s wishes, he generously donated his body to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Memorial services for John will be held at a later date.

Born to Tjark and May Hugo (Walkner) in Mason City, the sixth of eight children. He graduated from Mason City High School in 1955 then attended Waldorf College in Forest City for a year before returning home to marry Zoe Sherman. They returned to Forest City for John to complete his schooling. They then moved to Waverly, so he could further his education at Wartburg College. While attending college, he also participated in football and basketball. After college, they returned to Mason City where John started a long career in construction and carpentry. 

John and Zoe raised three boys, Steven, John and Charles. During his life he was an avid outdoorsman and sports fan. He and Zoe are lifetime members of the Mason City High School Booster Club and John spent thirty-one years working the chains with his pals at the Mason City Mohawk home football games. As their boys were growing almost every weekend was spent exploring North Iowa nature areas or fishing or canoeing the Winnebago river in the back yard. He even built a bicycle powered paddle pontoon boat that was enjoyed by many of the neighborhood kids. After retirement as the Mason City Community School District carpenter he spent many hours building detailed scale model construction vehicles, from his own plans, entirely from handcrafted parts with no nails or staples. John had many friends visit him in his wood stove heated garage (AKA Big John’s Workshop). Some came to chat, and many came with plans for something to build. No project was refused. Whether one came to visit or present a project when you left you’d hear the phrase he lived by “Keep Smiling” which was also shortened to fit on his personalized license plate. 

John is survived by his wife Zoe; sister, Nancy (Jim) Cribbs; sons, Steve (Nancy), John (Brenda), Charlie (girlfriend Martha); grandchildren, Bobbie (Tyler) Janssen, Zane (Allison) Hugo, Charlie (Mariah) Hugo, Sam (Taylor) Hugo, Rachel (Jacob Tolbert) and Cole (Maryam) Hugo; and eight great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. 

He’s preceded in death by his parents, sisters, Gladys, Hester, Mae; brothers, Leroy, Tjark and Gunther.