My Uncle John

This week my father’s youngest brother, my Uncle John, escaped his pain leaving us thankful for his peace but sad for our loss. I’m very thankful we got to spend time with him at the family reunion in May. A back injury and a nasty recent round of COVID are going to keep us from traveling right now.

My memories of Uncle John as a little girl were of a gangly teenager and young man with blond hair and twinkling eyes above an ever present smile. He looked more like the Shipley side of the family than the Schnepper.

John was only fourteen when I was born and before he was twenty he had four little nieces by his oldest brother. Daddy used to “sic” us on his baby brother whenever we’d get ready to leave Grandma and Grandpa’s. We’d go around kissing everyone goodbye including Uncle John who would turn bright red and try to escape the horde of little girls ready for a kiss. The more he fought us, the harder Daddy laughed, and the more determined we became to get him kissed. He usually willingly gave up in the end resulting in a lap full of nieces.

John wasn’t a morning person. He liked to sleep in as much as possible. When we were in town, some of my sisters thought that was an invitation to jump on his bed to wake him, kissing and tickling him until he finally gave in and got up. It was kind of tradition even after everyone was way old enough to behave better!

John liked fast things whether cars or motorcycles. He had a passion for flying and racked up hours as a military helicopter pilot and later as a charter airline pilot. I remember his picture in Grandma’s house in his formal uniform, quite handsome and dashing. He came home to make his love of flying a career doing crop dusting, freight services, and charters with his company. He was a flight instructor and infected Daddy with the flying bug too. After he retired from flying, he worked with his brother Gordon on the family farm transformation into a vineyard. And even spent a stint as a cross-country trucker.

He didn’t marry until he was almost thirty-one. He and Judy made a great team. They headed a massive volunteer effort at Thanksgiving and Christmas through their. Church preparing and delivering hundreds of holiday meals to those in need. Their sons, Dodd and Jay, followed in John’s footsteps driving race cars and even building a race track. Eventually, the boys married and grandchildren, and even great grandchildren joined the family. All of them a source of joy for John and Judy.

The defining characteristic of Uncle John was always his smile. For most of his life he never seemed to be without it. Always a smile and a good story to tell. Usually a funny story. His was a whole face smile from his chin to his crinkling eyes. A beautiful smile. Below is one of my favorite pictures of him from my wedding.

Smiling and telling my brand new husband something that made us all laugh in the reception line. Probably something like “it’s too late to run now!”

For the last several years, there have been more and more times when John wasn’t smiling. His personal health issues were a challenge and then he lost Judy. More doctors and physical issues. His kids and grandkids were nearby but he was still mostly alone. He wasn’t a man meant to be alone. He loved people too much for that kind of solitary life.

This week my Uncle John’s smile came back to stay. And he’s got a flock of angels around him listening to a funny story they’ve heard before but he can still make them laugh. Out loud. We love you and we miss you. Rest in Peace and keep smiling!