Following what he always said was a long and good life, retired Wisconsin State Journal reporter and editor John Thomas Aehl died on April 18, 2026.
An obituary appeared in the May 3, 2026 issue of the Wisconsin State Journal. According to the obituary:
John was born in Milwaukee on Sept. 7, 1935, to Thaddeus and Kathryn Aehl. The eldest of three brothers, John would play multiple sports, but it was baseball that would make him a standout and take him to the University of Wisconsin, where he was a southpaw pitcher for the Badgers. John would leave UW with a journalism degree, but he paused his career to play professional baseball for three years in Erie, Penn., Durham, NC, and Appleton.
He met Susan Smrz at a dance at Marquette University in Milwaukee and they married on Jan. 11, 1958. They enjoyed many years together and treasured retirement with their five children and 11 grandchildren, and an occasional trip to Maine. He loved Shakespeare and read all but one of his plays, choosing to save it for later in life but never did read it. He occasionally took a crime novel from a little library and, after reading, threw it away so no one else would have to suffer through it.
After ending his baseball career, John and Sue settled in Madison where he started a more than 40-year career as a reporter/editor with the Wisconsin State Journal. It was about this time he traded in his baseball bat for a golf club, and his late night job as night city editor allowed many hours on the course at Nakoma Country Club. He was good enough to win the City of Madison golf tournament, with his youngest son Dan as his caddy, six club championships, and a few dollars on bets with other Nakoma members. He also had an incredible 11 holes-in-one. While none of his children inherited his left-handedness (and only Dan his golf skills), they did enjoy an occasional round of golf, an appearance in a father/son or daughter tournament, and especially the annual Aehl Family Golf Outing. He continued to write about the Madison Symphony Orchestra for the Wisconsin State Journal after his retirement.
John is survived by his children Michael (Conni), James (Karen), Laura Roth (Dale), Daniel (Heidi), son-in-law David McLenachan; grandchildren David (Debbie), Julie (Zach), Jacob (Assem), Peter (Celia), Benjamin, Michael (Mary), Jennifer, Alice, Vanessa, John, and Kathryn; brother Jim (Carol), brothers/sisters-in-law Steve and Kathy Peterson, Judy Fojut; many nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends. John was preceded in death by Susan, his wife of 62 years, whom he missed dearly, daughter Suzanne; brother Richard; sister-in-law Carolyn; and brother-in- law Robert Fojut.
The family would like to thank Agrace HospiceCare for keeping John comfortable in his final days.
At his request, there will be no public service; a private event will be scheduled when the family can assemble together.
Friends may share memories online at www.cressfuneralservice.com.
FULL OBITUARY
