John "Jack" Raffin

We lost John "Jack" Raffin too early at age 78, the culprit, cancer. An Iron Mountain native, he was born December 22, 1945, to the late John and Irene (Formolo) Raffin, married Barbara (Cesario) Raffin in 1968, moved to the country and never looked back.
He loved hunting, fishing, and the camp life. As brother from another mother to the late Donald, Roger, and Jim Baravetto, he deer hunted out of their Pottsville camp ever since they took him under their collective wings and invited him along even after he built his own camp. He was famous, along with his fishing buddies, Johnny and Mary Dulan, for providing trout for the annual fish feeds. He and his hunting partners supplied a bounty of rabbit for rabbit feeds, always got his turkey during season, trapped beaver with his best man, Jimmy Baravetto, and later in life, trapped several different species with his cousin, Duane Santi. Morel hunting was a favorite with him and his brother-in-law, Pete Curtis, one year picking so many it was rumored they could have funded a small third world country. It was tradition to rifle hunt from Pottsville, but bow, black powder seasons and the rest of the year, he enjoyed his woodsy love from his own camp in the Silver Lake area, which became his retirement retreat complete with indoor plumbing, electricity, and a landline phone. A camp neighbor to a bevy of friends, most now also retired, they became a community that looked out for each other. But whether at camp or home, just about every person Jack met called him friend; and if he called you friend, you were golden.
Jack was a talented carpenter for which he earned an award upon graduating from Iron Mountain High School in 1964, built his camp, helped his late brother, Bob, build his house and was ever present to help any of his friends build whatever they needed. A licensed electrician for Wisconsin Electric, he was the wiring guy for many a job. He loved sharing his many talents. He was even a backyard mechanic who could also work on and operate big equipment. Though he would say that was in the good old days before computers were installed in cars. He was honorably discharged from the army on January 4, 1972 after serving a tour in Viet Nam. He retired from W.E. in 2002 after 34 years of service, living the retirement of his dreams for the next 22 years.
He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Robert Raffin, brothers-in-law Pete Curtis and Gary Bonetti, and sister-in-law Sandy (Cesario) Bonetti.
He is survived by his wife, Barbara (Cesario) Raffin; his sister, Carol (Raffin) Curtis; sister-in-law, Edie (Bob) Raffin; brother-in-law, Don (Faye) Cesario; nephews, Anthony Cesario and David (Jackie) Bonetti; nieces, Marie (Kevin) French and Tracy (Sean) See, Christine (Bonetti) McMahon; and several grandnieces and grandnephews, most notably Bryce French.
He's likewise survived by many best friends: the Pericolosi brothers, Peter, Russel and especially Tommy, Gary Schroeder, Chuck Peterson, cousin Duane Santi, Vince Fiorucci, Carl and Tina (Baravetto) Kassin, Alan Bilski, and Neal Johnson; each and every one of you have been a huge support for him through these two years of declining health. There are too many who helped and prayed for him to list, but each and every one of you are greatly appreciated.
Jack's Celebration of Life will be at The Dorothy Fox Hall on July 20th. Visitation will be from 11:00 a.m. to noon followed by brief prayers and a few words of reminiscing ending with a military honor guard. Lunch will follow and all are invited.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to cancer research or planting a tree.
Condolences may be expressed to the family of Jack Raffin online at www.ernashfuneralhomes.com.
The family has entrusted the Erickson-Rochon & Nash Funeral Home with the arrangements.