John Anthony Meise, 36, of Waukesha, passed away unexpectedly and tragically on Sunday, October 4, 2026, while running the Milwaukee Lakefront Half-Marathon.
John was born on August 29, 1990, in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, to Jeff and Debbie (Smith) Meise. Raised in Sheboygan, he graduated from Sheboygan North High School with the Class of 2008. He continued his education at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism in 2012.
On April 8, 2017, John was united in marriage to the love of his life, Lauren Elizabeth Hodge. Together, they built a life filled with love and laughter, raising their four children: Mason (11), Owen (8), Lucy (4), and Isla (1), alongside their cherished dog, Tilly (6).
After college, John lived and worked in Oshkosh for six years before he and his family relocated to their current home in Waukesha in 2019. That same year, he began his career at QuadMed, where he spent seven years growing professionally and advancing to the role of Brand & Digital Marketing Manager.
John will be remembered as a bright, affable, and dedicated father, husband, a loving son and brother, and a cherished friend and colleague. He was a man of immense skill, intelligence, talent, and a wonderful sense of humor. Above all, John loved his family and cared for others.
John’s greatest joy was spending time with Lauren and their children. He took a heartfelt interest in their activities and celebrating their accomplishments. He loved taking long walks and runs through their beautiful neighborhood with Lauren, having custard dates, and enjoying cozy popcorn nights at home. He would cheer on Mason at baseball and football games or volunteer as his basketball coach. With Owen, he loved building LEGO creations and rooting for him at baseball and basketball games. He happily joined Lucy in playing dolls and Barbies, and his creativity and goofy spirit shone through in imaginative play with Isla. Whatever they were doing, John treasured the chance to be by their side.
John was blessed with a bright and creative mind that was used in everything he used from DIY home improvement projects to his thoughtful communication and engaging content creation. He approached challenges with patience, determination, and care. His family and friends will remember his giant bear hugs, contagious laugh, bright smile, and his joy for life.
John’s warm personality and great spirit will be dearly missed by all who knew him.
John is survived by his wife of nearly 10 years, Lauren, and their four children, Mason, Owen, Lucy, and Isla; his parents, Jeff and Debbie Meise; his parents-in-law, Thomas and Jill Hodge; his brothers, Ryne Meise and Mark Meise; his sisters, Kelsey Bohr and Kristin (John) Brandes; his sister-in-law, Kristin (Brock) Bennett; and his grandmother, Judie Meise. He is further survived by many loving aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews. John was preceded in death by his son, Jackson; his grandparents, Barb and Jim Smith; and his grandfather, Ernie Meise.
Visitation will be held on Friday, October 23, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 11:45 AM at Krause Funeral Home, 21600 West Capitol Drive, Brookfield, Wisconsin. A Service celebrating John’s life will follow at 12:00 PM.
For those who wish to honor John’s memory, a GoFundMe has been established to support Lauren and their four children. The family is deeply grateful for the outpouring of love, kindness, and support. https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-john-meises-family
