John Charles Corbesia, Jr.

life story

A light that will never dim

Johnny is survived by loving parents John and Lori Corbesia, sisters Nikki (Andy) Smith and Jenny (Jeremy) Fendler, former wife Jennifer Corbesia, and children Joey and Brianna Corbesia, niece Emilia, and nephew Jackson Smith.

No one had a more vibrant smile, beautiful blue eyes, or contagious laugh like Johnny C.

The Life and Love of Johnny

John Charles Corbesia was born to parents John and Lori at St. Mary's Hospital in Minneapolis during the summer of 1971. The oldest of three children, Johnny attended Wenonah elementary school before finishing 6th grade at Laura Ingalls Wilder in Minneapolis. He then attended Folwell Junior High School in south Minneapolis before attending Theodore Roosevelt High School from the fall of 1985 to his graduation in June 1989.

Johnny was a south Minneapolis kid and played on many sports teams within the Minnehaha Falls Athletic Club (MFAC) system. He was a fearless football player for his size, wrestled at several levels and was successful in many tournaments, loved baseball and was also a member of a city championship floor hockey team while at Wenonah Elementary. In the summers he would spend time at the Keewaydin Park community center where his Mother Lori ran many programs. He could often be found helping smaller children with fun activities and providing humor while keeping them busy in the summer months. There was a standalone hoop at Elim Covenant Church on 56th street near the west side of Bossen Field where Johnny and the boys would play basketball for hours on end.

Johnny was also a member of the Heavy Nappers and Southsiders softball teams that competed primarily at Nokomis and Niemann’s fields. He was a great teammate with his positive, encouraging humor and the gift he had to make you laugh and smile, even after a loss or a poor night at the plate.

He was also an avid angler, no one loved fishing more than Johnny C. Bicycle trips as kids to 54th and the Mississippi River power lines, spring fishing at the mouth of the Minnehaha Creek, or evening/night fishing for Catfish underneath the Ford Bridge or above Lock and Dam number one at 43rd street. Johnny was always game for river fishing. As he got older, he was a fixture at Nokomis Lake near the Cedar Bridge in the summer or in his Eskimo portable ice house in the winter months. You know if Johnny called you to go ice fishing, you had to be in. You could hear his laugh echoing across the ice even before you caught him to set up.

Johnny was most recently employed with the Edina School System on a team of dedicated custodial staff that included lifelong friends from Roosevelt. Before Edina, Johnny spent nearly 30 years at ADS Duplication Services in Plymouth, where he was a manager responsible for media duplication.

Music was also a very important part of his life from a young age. His father, John Sr., is a musician, and he learned from his family how much music meant to all of them. Johnny was a rock n roller at heart. There are too many favorites to name them all, but safe to say The Black Crowes, Beastie Boys, Led Zeppelin, Linkin Park, Falling In Reverse, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Pink Floyd were all staples in his rotation. Johnny could also sing and would let you know about it, too! He could Karaoke all night, especially to Simple Man or The Ballad of Kurtis Loew. He was an avid reader of horror and mystery genre books, particularly anything written by Stephen King, a shared interest with his son, Joey.

As a father, son, brother, and friend, Johnny will long be remembered and deeply missed. He is irreplaceable, there will never be another like him. If you needed someone to make your day, your week, Johnny was your guy. If you were having a party, you just had to have Johnny there. He would hold court like none other, non-stop flow. He attended a recent Rib Fest at Mystic Lake and wore a “Invite Me to your Cabin” tee shirt and stopped to talk to everyone who asked him about it. Same night, he took photos with the Minnesota Vikings cheerleaders, arms around many, ear-to-ear smile. That was Johnny in a nutshell, he lived to make friends, have fun, and laugh no matter what.

He was the most dedicated, loving, and supportive father, always putting his family first, no matter the cost. His unwavering belief in his children gave them strength, and his warm, hilarious spirit could light up even the darkest days. His laughter still echoes in our hearts, and his love continues to guide us every day.

Rest in peace, Johnny, we will miss you forever.

John 16:22

“So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.”

memorial service

Johnny's Celebration of Life

June 6, 2025

Minnesota Valley Country Club 6300 Auto Club Rd, Bloomington, MN 55438, USA

Please wear your best purple Minnesota Vikings gear (or just purple), or anything you know he'd love to see. Our celebration will go from 3:00 pm-7:00 pm on Friday, June 6th, 2025. Though we may be leaving the venue, Johnny would never want the party to end there.