John A. Schindele

1926 - 2014

John A. Schindele

John A. Schindele passed away the morning of May 27 at the age of 88. He was born in Bremerton on January 26th, 1926, the fourth of five children born to George and Margaret Schindele, and went to school at Central Kitsap High School, where he excelled at football and track.

John joined the Navy in 1943 at the age of seventeen, reporting aboard the U.S.S. Johnston, in Seattle. The Johnston supported U.S. landings under General MacArthur. Off the island of Samar on October 25, 1944, while protecting "escort" carriers, the small group was attacked by a vastly superior Japanese force. Facing overwhelming odds the Johnston charged the Japanese squadron, crippling one heavy cruiser, and diverting other ships from their attack on the task force. She took numerous hits, including a destroyed engine room and bridge, forcing the wounded captain to move his command to the fantail, where he barked orders down a hatch to the after-steering room, where John and another sailor manually operated the rudder after the loss of hydraulics. Despite suffering grievous damage and casualties, the Johnston continued to fight furiously, inflicting substantial damage on the enemy and drawing Japanese attacks away from other U.S. ships. With his vessel dead in the water, the captain gave the order to abandon ship. He was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously. After the Johnston sank, John would spend 52 hours in the ocean, while many fellow sailors were attacked by sharks or deliriously swam away to their deaths. Near the end he and a fellow sailor found a life raft and pulled six others to safety.

After the war, John married his high school sweetheart, Jean Ellis. He was in the first class at Olympic College, and went on to Pacific Lutheran College, where he played football for Coach Marv Harshman. Following graduation, the couple moved to Everett and started a family.

John taught and coached at Lake Stevens High School and Central Kitsap Junior High before moving to Bellevue in 1961, joining the staff at Chinook Junior High. He then became an assistant football coach at Bellevue High School. When the new high school opened at Interlake, John taught math and became the school's first head football coach, enjoying immediate success culminating in an undefeated 1970 season and unofficial state championship. After taking a couple years off to watch his kid's high school efforts, John returned to coaching in 1974 at Sammamish. The 1975 Totems made it to the state semifinals snapping the 26-game winning streak of the Joe Steele-led Blanchet Braves.

John was a creative coach who loved to take chances and make football fun to watch and play. He was a fierce competitor but never forgot that football is just a game; seeing that his teams played fairly, that his athletes conducted themselves honorably, and show respect for their opponents was as important as the final score. He was a great wit, a warm, good-humored man who loved his students and players, and loved life.

In 1980, in semi-retirement, John accepted a position with the Seattle Seahawks where he undertook various responsibilities in the scouting department including picking up coaches or draft choices at the airport, and analyzing college game films for prospects. He continued working Seahawk games through the 2012 season.

John and Jean were married 69 years, and enjoyed traveling to California to see their daughter Jill and granddaughter Jenna, or going to a jazz performance of their grandson Chris. John was an avid golfer and reader, and was the rock at the center of our family. He is survived by his wife Jean, daughter Jill (Jenna), son John and daughter in law Mary Ann (Chris), brother Bill, sister Pat and brother in law Don. He will be greatly missed.