John George Hollerbach Obituary
John George Hollerbach, age 81, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, in Chicago, IL. He was born on July 19, 1944, in Chicago to John and Isabelle (Mazur) Hollerbach.
John moved with his family to St. Joseph, Michigan as a young boy and grew up in the Hagar Shores area. He attended St. John’s Catholic School and graduated from St. Joseph High School in 1962. After graduation John joined the United States Army where he proudly served his country in the Vietnam War with the 70th Engineer Battalion.
After his service in the Army, John took the skills he learned from his time in Vietnam constructing roads, bridges, and landing pads back home to St. Joseph. He worked for George Miller and Sons operating heavy equipment for 17 years before starting his own company, Hollerbach Excavating. John taught his sons the business and today, the family is proud to say they are three generations strong.
John married Margaret Haire in 1964, and together they had many great years raising four children and starting a business together. In 2003, John married Dorothy “Dot” Brooks and shared over 18 years together, living life to the fullest before she lost her battle to cancer.
John’s last years were very happy making many special memories with his beloved, Nina Rochau.
After earning his pilot’s license, John would take his Cessna on many adventures, sometimes as far as Key West and Canada. He never lost the desire to learn and even after retirement decided to get his building contractor’s license and went on to build multiple homes. He was always grateful to be able to see so much this of this world with favorite places such as Ireland, Australia, New Zeeland, and ended his travels with a trip to Alaska. John loved life, from scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef to playing Senior softball, but most of all he loved his family. Coaching baseball, fishing off the coast of Marco Island, flying kites on Easter, and just being together with family were his most favorite times. John will be remembered for his positive, kind, and generous heart, always ready with wit and charm and for his motto; “life is short, eat dessert first”.
John is preceded in death by his parents, older brother Leonard Hollerbach and younger brother Paul Hollerbach.
John is survived by his four children: Michael (Alana) Hollerbach, William (Janan) Hollerbach, Steven (Anissa) Hollerbach, and Leslie (Joel) Arbanas. Grandchildren: Cassidy, Keller and Vada Hollerbach, Logan and Jacob Hollerbach, Trever (Amber), Christopher (Perla), and Austin Hollerbach, Avery DeSanctis, Chloe and Josie Arbanas. Great-grandchildren: Charissa, Trenton, Steven, and Astrid. Many special loved ones as well as numerous nephews, nieces, and friends
The family is planning a Celebration of Life to be held at a later date. Memorial contributions can be made to the Disabled American Veterans (dav.org)
