John Skegrud, a longtime VW mechanic at the dealership here in
Bemidji died from cancer on Monday.  He was in his late 40's and
left behind a wife and family.  John was always the one I hoped
would work on my vehicles when I brought them in because he was
patient and knowledgeable.  John was also one of the few people left
in town who knew aircooleds.

While I didn't know John that well, I feel a loss from his passing. 
He would always make a point to come out of the shop and discuss how
my repairs went and was interested in tidbits I would glean from
this list.  Tall, lanky, greying hair and beard, shirt sleeves rolled 
up in a tight knot around his biceps Navy-style (he had 3 years in 
somewhere along his path)-- one could see his good and bad days in 
his fight.

Dealership mechanics are often maligned as inept and uncaring.  John was 
neither.  He was one of us.

-dan

Daniel Houg
Section of Drinking Water Protection
Minnesota Department of Health
voice: 218/755-3820