Sam up high.
John did this with his own daughters when they were little, and enjoyed showing off his ab strength for his grandkids. Here, Sam is lifted up while Alaina watches.
White water rafting
Rafting with Jessica and Sam. John is second from left.
White water rafting
Rafting with Jessica and Sam; John is in the middle of the raft, on the right.
John & Granddaughter Alaina
At daughter Lydia’s wedding, 2009. Alaina is 1 year old here.
John & brother Dale
August 2009, John with his big brother Dale Fine.
Aruba!
John and his daughters (plus grandson Sam) traveled to Aruba in July 2019; here he drives a UTV with daughter Monica.
Hatchet throwing
John shows off his passable hatchet-throwing skills. 2019.
Story time
John and grandson Truman read Calvin & Hobbes at bedtime.
Bucket List: Train ride!
John with grandson Truman and ex-wife Diane Fine-Anderson. Diane planned a train ride for Truman and John went along to check an item off his bucket list. 2019.
DIY Project Fun
Even though it felt like torture when they were kids, as they got older, John’s daughters thoroughly enjoyed doing DIY projects with their dad. Here, John and Lydia drill a hole for a new deadbolt on an entry door.
Home Depot Kids Day
Poppa helping the grandkids build stuff at the Home Depot kid’s workshop.
Bike ride!
A ride on the High Trestle Trail near Woodward, IA. Back row: daughters Monica, Kayla, and Lydia; John. Front: Kemper Bousum, Sam Fine, Alaina Bousum, Kellan Bousum. 2019.
John & Doran
Doran Ryan and John on summer vacation with John’s family, Lake of the Ozarks, 2020
Yup.
John was a big fan of funny t-shirts.
John and 5 of his grandkids.
Johnston, Iowa – 2020
Who has less hair?
John and grandson Truman Timmel, 2014.
Iowa State Fair 2021
The whole family at the Iowa State Fair. Back row: Diane Fine-Anderson, Sam Fine, Jessica Fine, Kayla Bousum, Lydia Fine, Monica Fine, Sean Couch. Front: Kellan Bousum, Kemper Bousum, Truman Timmel (in front of Kemper), John, Hillary Timmel, Alaina Bousum.
John and his trike
John was an avid bike-rider, and spent a lot of time on his e-trike. (2020)
Pool time!
John loved swimming, even more so after his ALS began to affect his ability to walk. Here he floats in the pool at the Florida home daughter Monica shares with her fiancee, Sean Couch.
Poppa John & Truman
Poppa loved teasing his grandkids.
Happy retirement!
John’s retirement from Rounds & Associates, March 2018.
Wolf River
Left to right: Doran Ryan, Larry Houser, and John. Wolf River, Wisconsin. Relaxing by the river after a day of whitewater rafting.
DIY Project Happiness
John took a lot of pride in a job well-done. Here he shows off the shelving he installed in his garage in Johnston with daughter Kayla.
White water rafting
John and his BFF, Doran Ryan, enjoyed many whitewater rafting trips with their kiddos over the years. This one at the Wolf River in Wisconsin took place in 2011.
Iowa State Fair 2021
John’s grandson Truman hitches a comfy ride after a long day at the state fair.
Camo on camo
Iowa State Fair 2018
John & Gary Knapp
At John’s 70th birthday party, he was reunited with childhood friend Gary Knapp. The two hadn’t seen each other in many years and had a great time reminiscing. The entire evening John had a huge smile on his face. 🙂
John and Monica, 2004
John and daughter #4, Monica, at Don and Joan Davis’s anniversary party, 2004.
Barn Party
John and his daughters and former in-laws, Don and Joan Davis. Even after John and Diane’s divorce, Diane’s parents invited him to holiday meals and get-togethers. They loved John and treated him so well!
Pool lesson!
John’s father, Floyd, played pool daily and taught both John and his brother Dale how to play. John loved teaching his daughters and grandkids how to play, too! Here he shows his young grandson Sam how to shoot pool at one of John’s favorite East Village hangouts, circa 2011.
Wedding Day
John with daughter Kayla on her wedding day.
John meets Truman
John with new grandson Truman Timmel
The Whole Fam-Damily at Iowa State Fair
L to R: daughter Jessica, son-in-law Sean Couch, grandson Kemper (in back, held by), daughter Kayla, grandson kellan (in front of Kayla) daughter Lydia holding Truman, Monica, Hillary (in front of Monica), granddaughter Alaina, Nick Anderson husband of ex-wife Diane Fine-Anderson (white tank), John, and grandson Sam. Whew! I’m tired.
The Big Slide
The Big Slide at the Iowa State Fair is one of the Fine family traditions. Here, Sam looks terrified while Jes and John are having fun. This was around 2006
John, grandson Sam, and daughter Monica (Sam’s aunt)
John and Alaina
There are a LOT of photos of John and Alaina. 🙂
Pool floaty
John loved being in the pool, especially after he started having trouble walking.
John and Kayla
John with daughter Kayla poolside in Lantana
Enjoying poolside
John in Lantana, FL enjoying the poolside with grandson Kemper
Poppa and Kellan
Halloween.
Poppa with grandson Sam
(If Poppa has hair, the baby is always Sam!) 🙂
Pumpkin Patch Corncob Shooter
Poppa takes his turn shooting corncobs while grandson Sam looks on.
Halloween
John holding granddaughter Alaina, daughter Kayla, and grandson Sam in front.
Post-knee surgery
John overestimates his post-surgery ability and insists he can hold granddaughter Alaina right after his knee replacement. He got sick soon after.
Poppa wears a wig?
We’re not really sure what’s happening here.
Tattoo!
John shows off his tattoo: JKLM in the middle for his four girls, then each grandkid was added off their parent’s letter. Kellan, Kemper, and Alaina off the “K”, Sam off the “J”, and Hillary off the “L”.
John and Sam’s christening
John, daughter Jessica, grandson Sam, uncle DeWitt Fine, and aunt Mary Ann Fine. John and Sam were baptized together.
John and Jessica
John with daughter #1, Jessica on her birthday
John with 4 grandkids
Alaina, Kellan, Sam, and in back, Kemper along with John
John with granddaughter Alaina Bousum
John with granddaughter Alaina Bousum
John and Hillary
John with granddaughter Hillary
Samuel and Poppa
Sam’s dance recital where Sam was the Wizard of Oz
John
On the combine at Howell’s pumpkin patch
Pumpkin Patch
Poppa with granddaughters Hillary (front) and Alaina
Pumpkin Patch
The annual trip to the pumpkin patch, where John helped the grandkids shoot corn cobs. (Shown here with Alaina)
John & Sam at the Carnival
John and Sam at a carnival
John’s 60th
John’s 60th birthday, as grandson Sam looks on.
John with Samuel
Baby Sam was very happy!
Halloween
John and Samuel dressed up together for Halloween. Sam was a pumpkin.
John meets his new grandson Kemper
Kemper John Bousum meets his namesake
John with grandkids
Kellan and Alaina
Poppa with grandkids on the beach
Ziplining in Cancun
Ziplining in Cancun
John with grandkids Kellan, Sam, and Alaina.
Poppa fun
Cancún, México
Dad ziplining in Cancun
John and his girls
At Iowa State Fairgrounds, 2019
John and Jessica
John and Jessica
John with Sam and Jessica
John and Grandson Sam
These two were quite a goofy pair.
John’s Trike
John’s e-trike was a handy substitute for a wheelchair in the early days. Here he rides through the Manalapan library which is actually a water tank.
John, Monica, and Sean
Beach photos with John and his daughter Monica with her husband Sean
Grand Cayman
John with son-in-law Sean
John and the Fine family
At the funeral for Mary Ann Fine. John (far right) with his family, L to R: Joe Fine, Rex Fine, Dale Fine, Jim Fine, Ray Fine.
John with Ryan Brown
Monica’s friend Ryan was a good friend to John. He had a way of bonding with people of all ages.
John and Steve
John and Steve Spurgeon were close friends from a young age. They worked together at J&S (John and Steve) Oil in the 1980s. Steve passed one week prior to John.
Key West
John with daughters Monica and Jessica, grandson Sam
Boca Raton, FL
L to R: Nathan Ryan, Cheryl (Nathan’s girlfriend), Doran Ryan, John (at back), daughter Monica, Monica’s husband Sean
John flies the plane!
John takes the controls in the air with son-in-law Sean.
At Diane’s wedding
John and daughter Monica at ex-wife Diane’s wedding to Nick Anderson
Carter walks John
John was recovering from foot surgery, but decided to take Monica’s dog for a walk. Carter ended up walking John!
John in Myrtle Beach
John never said no to a night at the bar. 🙂 Here, with daughter Monica and her friends.
John and Doran hunt alligators
Shark Valley National Park, with friend Doran Ryan. See the gator in the back left?
Key West
John, daughter Monica, grandson Sam
Beach wheelchair
Lake Worth Beach with son-in-law Sean. John was able to use a beach wheelchair so he could still go to the beach with his family.
John playing pool
John plays pool in Grand Cayman
Lantana
John and daughters Monica and Lydia out to eat in Lantana
Monica and John
Kayaking in Florida
Axe Throwing
John throwing axes with son in law Grant Bousum
Hot tub party!
John loved the water and being with his family. So he’s a pretty happy guy here.
Raising money for ALS
John and his daughters were active fundraisers for the ALS Association of Iowa
Billiards, always
John learned to play pool at a young age, and after becoming wheelchair bound, he still found ways to play.
The Tramp Valley Crew
John stayed with daughter Kayla’s family in summer 2021, in Johnston. The entire neighborhood adored him; he spent a lot of time tooling around the neighborhood (“Tramp Valley”) in his power chair, chatting up the neighbors. They threw a party for him when he headed back to FL.
The Rounds Crew
When visiting over Christmas 2021, his former Rounds & Associates coworkers all met up with John for lunch.