Capt. John E. Hotvedt, USN (ret.), 93, Amherst Junction, died Saturday, May 14, 2016, at Ministry St. Clare’s Hospital in Weston.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, May 18, at North New Hope Lutheran Church, 845 County Road T, Amherst Junction, with the Rev. Michael Peuse officiating. Visitation will be held at North New Hope Lutheran Church at 9:30 a.m., Wednesday, May, 18, until the time of the service. Interment will be in North New Hope Lutheran Cemetery in the town of New Hope.

Interment will be in North New Hope Lutheran Cemetery in the town of New Hope.

Memorials may be given to the North New Hope Lutheran Church
or to the American Legion fund for adding names to the Iola Veterans Memorial
at the Veterans Memorial Park.

Voie Funeral Home in Iola assisted with arrangements. Condolences
may be offered online at www.voiefuneralhome.com.

Capt. Hotvedt was born Aug. 5, 1922, in the town of New
Hope, a son of the late Johan and Mabel (Ellingson) Hotvedt.

He was married to Audrey Larson Sept. 24, 1944, in Hingham,
Mass. She died June 6, 2009.

He served in the U.S. Navy, retiring at the rank of captain.
He enlisted in the Navy early in World War II and took flight training in
Pensacola, Fla., in order to serve as a carrier-based fighter pilot.

Among his many missions, he performed photo reconnaissance
over Japan nearing the end of WWII, for which he was awarded the Distinguished
Flying Cross. He was aboard the USS Saratoga at Iwo Jima when the ship was
badly damaged by multiple kamikazes and torpedoes. Unable to take off from the
damaged deck, he, along with the other pilots, served as nurses for the many
injured men as the Saratoga traveled back to the United States. He then flew
from the USS Lexington until the end of WWII, flying security over the USS
Missouri protecting those present for the signing of the peace agreement that
ended the war. He also took aerial photographs of that historic day.

In the Korean conflict, he trained in jet planes and
performed extensive photo reconnaissance from aboard the USS Boxer.

Following the Korean conflict, he served as a test pilot, in
flight training and many other functions through the years until his retirement
in 1967. Among the many he trained to fly, he checked out Neil Armstrong
on his first solo jet flight.

He was a highly decorated veteran, earning the Navy Air
Medal multiple times and service awards for WWII, Korea and the Vietnam War.

After retiring from the Navy, he opened a real estate office
in Iola.

He was a charter member of the Iola Musky Club and was
considered a “Musky Master,” working as a guide for fishermen on the Chippewa
and Flambeau flowages.

He was a lifelong member of North New Hope Church in Amherst
Junction.

Survivors include four children, Louise (Stephen) Lehrer,
New Hope, Christine (Ray) Teurfs, Guerneville, Calif., Jim (Sandy) Hotvedt, New
Hope, and Mary (Jeff) McMurray, Aransas Pass, Texas; one sister, Harriet
Torkelson, Merrill; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

He was also preceded in death by two sisters; Lila Hotvedt
and Mary Ann Garbrecht; and one granddaughter.