John Edward Derus, III

John Edward Derus III March 14, 1940 - July 23, 2026 John Edward Derus III, of Minneapolis, passed away on July 23, 2026, at the age of 86. He was born on March 14, 1940, son of John E. Derus and Josephine (Rainville) Derus. A proud son of Northeast Minneapolis, John was a standout football player at DeLaSalle High School (Class of 1958) which would later welcome him into its Hall of Fame. He earned a football scholarship to the University of Minnesota and went on to earn his degree from St. Cloud State University and studied as a fellow at the Harvard University School of Divinity. John's passion was service. After serving in the Army Reserves, John spent two years in the Peace Corps in Northern India, teaching English. He worked for then U.S. Senator Hubert H. Humphrey, was elected Minneapolis Alderman for the Fourth Ward in 1971, and served on the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners from 1975 to 1993, including several terms as Chairman. Any visitor to the Minneapolis riverfront cannot help but see the legacy that John built. When the railroad planned the demolition of the historic Stone Arch Bridge, John saved it by convincing them to let the county buy it for a dollar. He led the effort to build the iconic Hennepin Avenue Suspension Bridge and devised a plan to relocate an ornate section of the old Broadway Ave. Bridge to its current location connecting the Riverfront to Nicollet Island. He further shaped the future of the Nicollet Island as an instrumental proponent of the new DeLaSalle football field. John's legacy of civic service lives on today in the continued development of Light Rail Transit, a system he championed from its earliest days. Beyond elected office, John gave generously to the civic and cultural life of his city. He was a devoted Gophers, Timberwolves, and Vikings fan. He served as president of the Minneapolis Aquatennial, the MN 100 Club, and the Association of Minnesota Counties. John also served on the boards of the Minnesota Orchestral Association, the Walker Arts Center, the Minneapolis College of Art and Design and DeLaSalle High School. But of all his many accomplishments John was most proud of his family. On May 11, 1973, he married Susan, his wife for 53 years. He was a loving father, husband, brother, uncle and grandfather. He was always there whenever you needed him. He was the call you would make if you needed help, advice, a calming presence, or a friend who cared and loved unconditionally. John was Passionate but kind, gave more than he received, never complained, always forgave, and advocated for those who couldn't advocate for themselves. He displayed loyalty in its truest form. He was our hero and we will miss him deeply for the rest of our lives. John is survived by his wife, Susan; his children, Paul Payette, Barbara (Chad) Anderson, John (Jamie) Derus IV, and Michael (Sara) Derus; his nine grandchildren, Elleanore, Jack, Lillian, Nick, Aubrey, John, David, Emily, and Daniel; and his siblings, Kathy and David. He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Josephine (Rainville) Derus; his sisters, Barbara and Mary Jo; and his granddaughter, Angela. Funeral service to be held Wednesday August 5th at 10 AM with visitation one hour before at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church at 1 Lourdes Pl, Minneapolis, MN 55414. Evening visitation to be held 4 to 6 PM Tuesday August 4th at Washburn-McReavy Edina Chapel. In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution to the John Derus DeLaSalle '58 Memorial Fund https://host.nxt.blackbaud.com/adaptive-donor-form/?formId=2206d11f-6ce2-49f1-9a72-8b1e09a9f490&envid=p-FAiofsq0EEiIx3ata0GSNw&zone=usa ,Choose John's fund under "Area of greatest need".