John D. Puppel, Jr

John D. Puppel Jr.

1942 – 2025

John D. Puppel Jr., 82, of Ridgecrest, CA, passed away peacefully on Sunday, February 23, 2025, with his family by his side. John is survived by his beloved wife of 52 years, Jum; his son Anives (Lek); his daughters Siriporn and Sara; his grandchildren Kennedy, Mason, Ethan and Aaron. John also is survived by his sister Valentina (Tina) Juarez; his niece Lisa; his nephew Raul John.

John was born in 1942 in Joliet, Il to John Puppel Sr. and Helen Baranak. After high school, he joined and   proudly served in the US Navy from 1960 to 1981. He moved his family from Long Beach, MS to Ridgecrest, CA in 1988, and worked at NAWS China Lake as a civil servant until he retired. He and his wife also owned and operated Bangkok House Restaurant in Ridgecrest from 1991 to 2012. He very much enjoyed interacting with all the residents of the community as they came in to dine.

John was a hardworking man, always dedicated to his family. He was compassionate, loving, caring, attentive, and very funny. He loved classic cars and watching the Daytona 500 and his favorite football team, the Saints. He was happiest when surrounded by those he loved, his family and friends. He looked forward to the long talks with his sister, Tina, as they would go down memory lane together. John did enjoy his occasional trips to the casino in Bishop.

John will be missed dearly and will forever be in our hearts.