Johnny Riga Caylor

Johnny Riga Caylor, age 89, of Alma, passed away on Thursday, December 1, 2022 at Gundersen St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Wabasha.

He was born August 26, 1933 in New Orleans and was the son of the late Roy and Pearl (Miller) Caylor.

He was united in marriage to Judy Parish Caylor.

Johnny was a proud of his profession as a boilermaker, a career that saw him traveling to Alma to work on the Dairyland Power Plant.  It was then, that Johnny moved north and planted roots in Alma. 

Even though he was a longtime resident of Alma, Johnny never lost touch of his proud southern heritage.  He was also very proud of his Native American blood, too.  He honorably served our country as a member of the United States Navy.

Johnny was an avid outdoorsman and loved to ice fish…honestly, if you lost sight of Johnny in the winter months, you’d be able to find him on the ice.  He loved his rural Alma home and found great joy as he cleared the land, hauled the wood on his tractor and made it a home.

As Johnny aged, he began to find the strength he needed in his faith and love for his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  And as time progressed, Johnny also saw the value and love of his entire family especially his great grandchildren.

Johnny will be sadly missed by his wife, Judy of Alma; children, Harry Short of Stillwater, MN and Rodrick (Tara) Barrows of Isanti, MN; 5 grandchildren; 8 grandchildren; sisters in law, Mary Kay (Mort) Fields, Dee Price, Karen Parish and Karen Jacobs; also by nieces and nephews.

Besides his parents, Johnny was preceded in death by three siblings, Lucille, Margie and Bill along with his 3 brothers in law, Kenny Mueller, David Parish and Larry W. Rieck.

A memorial service, with full military honors, will be held this spring at Rieck’s Lake Park in Alma.