John P.H. Salchow, age 88, passed away on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, surrounded by the love and comfort of his family. He was born on May 13, 1937, to the late George and Hannah Hattie (Dahlmann) Salchow in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. John proudly spent his life in uniform serving and protecting in everything he did. While earning his high school diploma he also spent two years in the Coast Guard Reserves. With an honorable discharge, John then entered the United States Army in 1956, with an honorable discharge in 1959, which included being stationed in Korea for thirteen months.

On September 3, 1960, he was united in marriage to Marlene Clara Weber in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. While growing their family together they were blessed with three children, Timothy, Catherine and Cindy.

John continued to protect the community and worked from 1960 to 1967, at Fox Point Police Department as a patrolman in Milwaukee County. John continued on with his career and became Chief of Police in the Sharon Police Department in Walworth County. He then took his family and career and joined the police department in Seymour, Wisconsin in 1974. In 1976, he was appointed Assistant Chief of Police and in 1979 appointed Chief of Police where he served until his retirement in 1985.

John spent thirty-two years in uniform serving and protecting. He was so fortunate to be able to retire in  1985, at the age of forty-eight. He was able to enjoy forty years of retirement with countless years of fishing on White Clay Lake, Loon Lake and Shawano Lake. He loved to go to the local casinos with his loving wife and they both enjoyed time with their grandchildren.

John is survived by his daughter, Catherine "Cathy" (Joe, Jr.) Mraz of Shawano, Cindy (Roger) Teske of Shawano; grandchildren, Krystal Mraz of Appleton and Dasch (Amber) Mraz of Cloverleaf Lakes; and great-grandchildren, Everett and Lorelai of Cloverleaf Lakes.

John is preceded in death by his beloved wife, Marlene of 62 years; beloved son, Timothy Allan Salchow; parents, George and Hannah; stepdad, Alvin Staege; in-laws, Alexander and Marie Weber; brother, Robert Salchow; and brother-in-law, Ronald Weber.

Private family services for John will be held at Swedberg Funeral Home. Burial with Military Honors will be in Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery in the spring.

The family would like to give a heartfelt thank you to ThedaCare Hospice for all their help and Cherry Meadows Hospice in Appleton for their compassion and extraordinary care given to our father and our family during a very difficult time.