John Alvin Schafer

John Alvin Schafer, "The Iron Peddler," age 81, entered eternal rest on Monday, November 3, 2025. Born February 26, 1944, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, John was the beloved husband of Jacqueline Schafer, with whom he would have celebrated 60 years of marriage on December 4, 2025. Their life together was a testament to steadfast love, shared faith, and quiet devotion. When Jacqueline was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2022, he stepped naturally and wholeheartedly into the role of primary caregiver, ensuring that she was cared for with tenderness, dignity, and unwavering loyalty.

He was a devoted dad to three wonderful children: Michele, George, and Dan. He took pride in who they became and how they loved others. And he delighted in being "Grandpa" to Shane, who followed him into mechanical engineering, Johnny, his namesake, and George. He bragged on them the way grandpas are supposed to. One of his recent proudest moments was when grandson George pledged Pi Kappa Alpha, the same fraternity John had cherished in his own college days.

John was trained as a mechanical engineer, and you could see the engineer's precision in the way he approached life: thoughtful, practical, steady. But he also had a warmth that made rooms brighter. His gregarious, outgoing personality made him a fantastic salesperson, first of heavy equipment at companies like Zeco, and later of fire apparatus with American LaFrance. Friends and customers knew him as "the Iron Peddler." It's a nickname that captures his craft and his charm: he could talk torque and tonnage, but he always had time for people.

His happy place? The family lake house on South 2 in Lake Tomahawk, Wisconsin. If you close your eyes, you can almost hear the water, see the early light on the shore, feel a gentle breeze moving across the surface. John taught his kids to waterski there, patiently, joyfully, celebrating every wobble and every triumph. The lake holds a thousand little miracles: mornings on the dock, shared meals, quiet evenings, and laughter that carried across the water. Those are holy memories.

Those who knew John remember his optimism, his work ethic, his sense of humor, and a familiar tune often on his lips: "You Are My Sunshine." The song suited him. He had a way of bringing light into ordinary days and into difficult seasons, choosing hope without denying the weight of real sorrow, including the loss of his son George in 2020 to cancer. His family takes comfort in the belief that they are reunited in God's care, held fast by a love stronger than death.

For those of you who carry his last name, his lessons, or his laugh, remember: the best way to honor John is to love as he loved, to show up for your people; to do the job well and treat folks right; to keep a song in your heart; to find your lake and share it; to be sunshine for someone on a cloudy day.

John was preceded in death by his parents, George and Aerion Schafer, and by his son, George Schafer. He is survived by his wife, Jacqueline; his children and their families: Michele and Brian Simkin and their children, Shane, Johnny, and George; Daniel and Kim Schafer, and daughter-in-law Wendy Schafer. He loved his family fiercely.

The family is grateful for all who have shared in John's life and supported them with prayers, stories, and love during this time of loss. "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." (2 Timothy 4:7)

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