John Robert Reuter, aged 57, passed away unexpectedly on Nov. 25,2021 at Center City, MN.

John was born on Jan. 2, 1964, in Cherokee, IA to Robert and Nancy (Osgard) Reuter. He was the second baby to be born that year in Cherokee. He grew up and attended public schools in Cherokee, IA, graduating from Cherokee High School in 1982. He graduated from University of South Dakota in 1986 with a degree in computer science.

While in college, he met his soulmate and best friend, Tamara (Tami) Poling. When John sat his parents down in the spring of 1985 and said he had something important to tell them, Bob and Nancy were relieved that it was he was taking a semester off school to join Tami in West Germany. So not what they were expecting. John and Tami spent 5 months living on a budget of $20 daily while exploring Europe on a Eurail pass. That experience set the stage for a life of many adventures travelling the world.

John and Tami married on March 24, 1990. John worked and excelled in IT in Denver, CO while Tami completed her medical training. They moved to Rapid City, SD in August 1994 and made their home. They soon welcomed two sons, Ian Alexander in June 1996 and Ethan Gordon in June 1998.

John was a wonderful stay at home dad. He built his own "field of dreams" in their backyard, a wiffleball field with cut out bases, pitcher's mound and a home run fence complete with foul poles and his own version of the Fenway "green monster". Countless hours of wiffleball were enjoyed along with many home run derbies. Water balloon fights were another frequent feature of summer fun. John would run the garden hose to the kitchen sink, so the boys' paddle pool was always filled with warm water. As his boys grew, John began coaching their soccer and baseball teams. John gave thousands of volunteer hours to Canyon Lake Little League as maintenance director, doing his best to make those 11 fields in tip top shape.

Family traditions were a couple of weeks scuba diving in Grand Cayman in August and Christmas and New Year's Eve in Sydney, Australia. Both were touchstones with precious memories. John loved all sports. Cricket was a new love after spending time in Sydney. John invented a new sport one Christmas: kitchen cricket. That epitomized John: creative, smart, innovative, thoughtful, kind, happy and engaged with his sons.

During one rainy Christmas in Australia, after playing an escape room, John decided that would be a fun challenge to create his own. Black Hills Escape Rooms debuted in 2016. John researched his stories, bought the props and put the rooms together. Locals and tourists alike continue to enjoy his creative stories based on Black Hills history.

During his last years, John struggled with alcohol and mental health issues. He sought help from many different sources but sadly continued to struggle. While we mourn John's passing, we know that he is finally at peace and is resting in the Lord's loving arms.

John is survived by his wife, Tami, sons, Ian and Ethan, parents, Bob and Nancy, brother Kirk and his family, mother in law Dorothy, and brother-in-law, Todd and his family.