John C. Ganje, 77, of Williston, North Dakota, passed away on Thursday, January 15, 2026, at Roosevelt Memorial Nursing Home in Culbertson, Montana. John was born to George C. Ganje and Regina (Boehm) Ganje. He grew up in North Dakota and graduated from Bishop Ryan High School in Minot.

John never met a stranger. He loved to shoot the breeze and crack jokes with anyone who would listen, including telemarketers. He could talk so long that they would eventually hang up on him. For John, every day was a holiday, and he carried that joy, humor, and lighthearted spirit everywhere he went.

He will be remembered as kind, optimistic, incredibly goofy, and endlessly entertaining, at least in his own opinion. When you saw John coming, you knew you were in for a good laugh and a great story, whether it was entirely true or not. He had a gift for storytelling and a way of making people feel welcome and at ease.

John was a man of faith who loved God and attended church every Sunday. Later in life, he made the admirable decision to become sober, a choice that reflected his strength, humility, and commitment to living fully. He once said, “if I knew the sober life was this good, I would have done it 2 weeks sooner!”

Those who knew him in his younger years often spoke of his strength, his loyalty, and the way he protected and stood up for the people he cared about. He was the kind of friend who always had your back—and was also known to be quite the arm wrestler.

John loved helping others, going for long drives out in the country, listening to Elvis, imitating Elvis and spending time with friends. He had a lifelong love for old cars, working on race cars, playing pool, riding his bike, and simply being around people. Some of his happiest memories were made riding bikes with his son, spending afternoons at the park, “sampling” cherries from Economart, and hanging out at the “shop” with Myron and the Schroeders.

Above all else, John had the sweetest heart. He was deeply loved and will be greatly missed by the many people whose lives he touched.

John is survived by his daughter, Savannah Ganje, his son Sean Ganje and his grandson Julian Ganje. He is also survived by his sister, JoAnn (John) Congdon of Duluth, Minnesota, and his brother, Leonard Ganje of Minot. He was preceded in death by his parents George and Regina Ganje, his brothers Daniel, George and Frank, his sisters Lucille Albers, Mary Peterson and Diane Kirby.