John David Barlau "JB", 59, born May 15th, 1966 in St. Louis Park, MN. He passed away on January 9th, 2026 while at work in his office at JB Auto Repair in Anoka, MN. He proudly owned and operated his business for over 30 years that he started out of his garage.

John grew up in Osceola, WI and shared many stories of "working on the farm" and working at the liquor store when he was younger - ironic, because he never drank. He later moved to Minneapolis where he spent his younger years as well.

John spent his life filled with love for the outdoors and everything sports. In years before kids, John loved to race motorcycles at the track in Wisconsin for several years. He earned many trophies and loved the thrill of the ride. While he still liked to go for a cruise on his gold wing motorcycle or his motorized scooter, John didn’t race anymore. He also use to play darts and was really good at it as it, until his elbow and shoulder was giving him issues, but he loved it.

John loved to sit outside at campfires for hours just listening to the quiet and the crackle or laughing with family and friends. He was an avid fisherman both in the summer and during the winter. While he had just started picking fishing back up after not going much for several years, he used to go fishing so much. He would go fishing every mother’s day weekend for opener and bring his family with him. In the winter he would pull out either a pop-up or his pull behind fish house. He liked to Ice Fish in comfort and had a queen bed along with a TV inside so he could relax at the same time. He went Ice Fishing about 2 weeks or so before his passing and ended up dropping his phone down the ice hole, he still managed to have a laugh about it and enjoyed the time with a great friend Nate.

Many of his summers were filled with “camping” in the RV. In previous years, we would bring the camper to a family property in Wisconsin often. In the past few years, he and his wife would choose different campgrounds and parks to reserve a spot at to bring the kids to go camping and explore. John loved to sit around a campfire, whether it was sitting around and chatting with friends, doing things with family, or just sitting there listening to the crackle of the fire – which he could do for hours on end, just sit in the quiet and stare into the fire and take in the peacefulness and the sounds of nature. John didn’t travel too much in his life, but did take a few trips. Many times it was to Wisconsin to camp or see family, Nevada or New York for bowling tournaments, and he had taken a trip to Hawaii and Puerta Viarta previously as well. In the recent year, he had went on two trips that he loved. A family trip to Delaware & Washington DC, he loved being able to see the monuments and history is Washington DC. His most favorite trip was his last trip. He took the RV for a family trip to the black hills & Mount Rushmore. He was so happy out there and always said that he wanted to go back. John has always had a passion for sports and played many different sports throughout the years.

He was a highly accomplished and respected bowler of MANY years, bowling over 15 - 300 games and earning so many more friends along the way. For many years, he loved bowling at Blainebrook Lanes. He bowled alongside his best friend Tim Allen for many years, and bowled on Wednesday night and Thursday night leagues; Thursday nights with his wife Stacy. John loved to bring his kids along to the bowling alley when they were younger and taught them to bowl as well. His oldest son David definitely picked up on his style of bowling. He also loved when his granddaughter Charlie would come by after her swim lessons to be able to see grandma and grandpa at the bowling alley. She was his cheerleader, and he loved it. John played many years of slow pitch soft ball and loved to pitch. He wore the #8. John was always a great sport when it came to playing fun games, one year they all dressed up like brides. He found a great wedding dress at goodwill and rocked it as he would pitch. He started dating his wife stacy while he was playing softball.

He loved to share his passion of sports with his children and always went out of his way to help his kids love sports too. He was one of their biggest supporters and cheerleaders, even almost getting thrown out of games yelling at the refs for not being fair. He would always be playing & helping them practice. His youngest daughter Addie also fell in love with the sport and loves to pitch in fast pitch softball. John would be out in the front yard practicing with her on pitching and with hitting. He was always there teaching and supporting her, and she knew it. HE NEVER MISSED A GAME!!

John shared his passion for volleyball with his other daughters Tabatha and Katie. He was so proud when Katie found a sport that she loved and it was one that he used to play as well. John used to play sand volleyball at Be-Bops often along with few other locations. John was a huge supporter of his children and loved to cheer them on, AGAIN HE NEVER MISSED A GAME!!John also loved to play golf in prior years along with watching MN Wild hockey & Viking football on TV or in person. He always had to have the extra channels so he could watch “the game”. The game was always on and if he had the chance to go see it in person he absolutely would and generally took along either his cousin Mike, his brother Alan, or one of his very close friends.

He was known to be a friend to everyone, he knew everyone and everyone knew him; he was a social butterfly, even if he didn’t think so. He wasn't afraid to be goofy and loved to be funny.

His greatest titles were proudly: son, husband, dad and grandpa. He was his mother's rock and helped her with anything and everything she needed. He would drive out to visit her and would often drive out to bring her to family functions. When his mom stopped doing the family get-togethers, John took over and had family come to his house for holiday celebrations. He loved to be in the kitchen making up something yummy, often being some sort of meat – a brisket or burnt ends where some of his favorites. He always enjoyed having family over and being able to see everyone.

John lost his father when he was only 5 years old and he missed his father every day and would visit his grave often. He was not one to cry much, but when it came to his father that is one of those topics that would get to him. He missed his father so much and hopefully he is now able to be with him.

He loved his wife Stacy so much. They went to bowling league Thursdays and played cribbage together every night for weeks before he passed. John was always thinking of others and that was certainly the case when it came to Stacy. Even if she said she wasn’t hungry he would still bring her back food because he knew she might change her mind. He never forgot an anniversary, birthday or a valentine’s and would always get a card – he loved cards and would hold on to them, even if someone threw one away he would pull it out of the trash and keep it. (Which now we are thankful for!) Stacy was the love of his life. When John and Stacy got married, she brought with her 3 boys who John became a step-father to: Tylor, Kody and Jayden. While they butted heads at times, he treated those boys as his own and was always there for them if they needed anything. When he was asked how many children he had, he said 7, they were his kids too.

John spoke of his children often and with great pride. His shop walls were lined with their photos, and rarely did a conversation pass without mention of them. He started to run out of room to hang up photos. He also had a great desire to be promoted from dad to grandpa, he joked he was the last one to have grandkids and didn’t want to wait longer. When he first found out he was having a granddaughter he was so excited. He was just as excited about his next two granddaughters as well knowing that he got to share the love even more! He loved being grandpa to 3 little girls (Charlie, Nova and Delani) plus his 2 unofficial grandkids (Sebastian and Rainy).These 5 little ones brought out his biggest smiles. John loved to brag about his kids and grandkids and how amazing they were. Grandpa John also was one who was so lucky to get some of the best hugs these kids had to give, he was the one who got them, and he loved it!

While he was a tall big man, inside he was a giant teddy bear who had a huge heart that cared for everyone & he always extended himself out to help a friend in need. He touched so many people’s lives in different ways but all for the better.

He will be deeply missed and forever loved by so many!

John is proceeded in death by his father Dennis W. Barlau; father in-law Butch McCalla; life long best friend Tim Allen; Aunt Maria & Uncle Duane Barlau; Cousin Mike Barlau; Uncle Delford Barlau, and other family.

John is survived by his mother Alvina Westling (Jump), his wife Stacy; his 7 children & 3 grandchildren: Tabatha (Ian Farnham) & granddaughter Charlie (3), David (Kate) & granddaughter Delani (1), Tylor Braun and granddaughter Nova (2), Dakotah Braun (Mady), Jayden Braun, Kaitlyn & Adaelyn. His siblings: Alan, Dawn, Julie, Ken (Connie), Richard, Dennis Jr., and Candy. His In-law’s Annette (Ira) McCalla, Robert McCalla, Tom Batters & Amber McCalla.

Unofficial but his family: Trinity, Sebastian (8) and Rainy(3).His godchildren and countless other family and friends.So many nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.

A private wake will be held for close family and friends to say goodbye at an open casket viewing from 6:30-8pm on January 22nd at Thurston DeShaw in Andover MN.  An open house style celebration of life will be held on Sunday Feb. 8th, 2026 from 12-5pm with Tribute being at 2pm at Brookhall Event Center in Blaine, MN

All are welcomed and encouraged to come, we would love to hear stories of John and see any pictures you may have