John Charles Otto Junge, age 77 of York, NE, stepped into Glory on Monday, May 11, 2026.
He was born on September 22, 1948 at the Lutheran Hospital in York, NE to Raymond W. and Ruth E. (Staehr) Junge. He attended St. John’s Lutheran School southeast of Waco, NE, and graduated from Waco High School in May of 1966.
In June of 1967, John enlisted in the U.S. Air Force for four years. He took his basic training at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, TX. Following graduation, he spent three months at the Munitions Tec. School at Lowry AFB at Denver, CO. His first assignment was at Bunker Hill AFB/Grissom AFB in Peru, IN, loading nuclear weapons on B-58 Aircraft. His next assignment being Andersen AFB on the Island of Guam. His duties on Guam were the loading of the conventional and nuclear weapons on B-52 Aircraft. After eighteen months on Guam, he spent the remaining seven months at Ellsworth AFB at Rapid City, SD. His duties there were the loading and unloading of nuclear weapons and arming and de-arming of nuclear missiles on B-52 Aircraft. Also, during these four years, he spent time at Little Rock, AFB, Little Rock, AR, and Ramey AFB in Puerto Rico. John received an honorable discharge in June of 1971.
Following his discharge, he returned to the family farm located southeast of Waco, NE where he worked with his parents in the dairy and farming operation. In 1983 the farming operation was terminated and John went to work for Scott-Hourigan Co. in York, NE. In January of 1984 John started work at Sundstrand Aviation as a machinist. He moved his family to York in May of 1985. In January of 2013, John retired from UTC Aerospace Systems having put in 29 years and 1 month. During his tenure John received countless special recognitions for his efficiency to detail on the job.
John met the love of his life in 1968 through his grandmother, Lena E. Junge, a resident of the Utica Community Home in Utica, NE, where Carolleen was employed. After corresponding by mail and a sweet courtship, John and Carolleen K. Rohren were married on December 11, 1971 with a double ring ceremony at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church at Utica, NE. This marriage was blessed with three sons and one daughter.
John had so many God given talents that he demonstrated throughout his life. Besides natural talents John loved the hobby of collecting various items of interest. Early on he had an eye for beautiful stones and then his eye turned towards an interest in rocks, big rocks. His back yard gives testimony of his interest. As the telephone poles, lines and insulators came down, John was there to collect, clean and display many of the unusual insulators. His hobby interest turned to “Coke” advertising products of posters and collectible items.
John was an incredible individual, gifted with a great mind and a heart of love for his family and close friends. His wife, Carolleen, their children and grandchildren were the love of his life. John enjoyed planting his garden each spring with lots of flowers. John would say, “I plant them and God paints them”. His love for taking pictures and building a historical record for the next generation on his computer had become his passion. John never wanted any recognition for his work as he just loved doing it. That was the kind of guy he was. John was a member of Emmanuel Lutheran Church in York, NE.
John is survived by his loving wife of 54 years, Carolleen of York, children: Brian (Nicky) Junge and Colton Junge of Joplin, MO, Timothy (Lindsay) Junge, Kaden and Kinley Junge of Mahomet, IL, Angela (Erik) Wilcoxson, Audrey, Alex and Thomas Wilcoxson of Gretna and Tyler (Makenna) Craven of Ashland, NE, and Matthew (Ashley) Junge, Jackson and Addilyn of Lincoln, NE.
He is also survived by three sisters: Marilyn J. Dey of Gresham, NE; Rosalie Hillmer of York, NE; and Janet Sabin of Lincoln, NE; sister-in-law, Peg Rohren of Seward, NE, and many nieces, nephews, and friends.
Preceding him in death were his parents; Raymond and Ruth Junge; his brother Mark A. Junge; granddaughter Madisyn Rose Junge, brothers-in-law Gail L. Rystrom, Roger Hillmer, M. Douglas Dey, Bill Sabin and Ronald Rohren, and Veryl Rohren, nephews Kevin and Kelvin Rystrom, and in-laws Walter and Esther Rohren.
A service to “Celebrate the Life and Memory of John C. O. Junge” will take place at 10:00 a.m., Friday, May 15, 2026 at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in York. Interment with military honors will follow at St. John’s Cemetery in Waco, NE. A closed casket visitation will be held from 1-8 p.m., Thursday, with the family greeting friends from 6-7:30 that evening, all at Metz Mortuary in York. In lieu of flowers and plants, Memorials may be directed to the Lutheran Hour or the Emmanuel Lutheran School in York.