John Charles Vetsch
John Charles Vetsch
John Charles Vetsch, 64, of Boise, passed away on April 7, 2015. Funeral services will be held Saturday, April 11, 2015 at 10:30 a.m. at Parkview Christian Church in Meridian. John will be buried with military honors alongside fellow veterans at Idaho State Veterans Cemetery.
John was born on January 4, 1951 in Portland, Oregon, the son of Frank and Katherine Vetsch. The Vetsch family moved to Boise, where John attended and graduated from Boise High School in 1970. Starting in February 1971 John served three years in the U.S. Navy as a Boiler Room Fireman during the Vietnam War before being discharged due to health complications and then Honorably Discharged fully from service in February, 1976. After leaving the military, John worked as an auto mechanic at Smith’s Chevron in Boise for almost two decades, until physical injury caused him to leave that profession and follow his passion: working with guitars. He founded Vintage Vision Guitar Repair in 1995 and spent the rest of his days as a guitar musician, repair specialist, and appraiser for local guitar shops.
On June 4, 1972, he married Patricia Lee Weaver, whom he had met on Valentine’s Day in 1971. They had two children, Jonathan (Jeremiah) Ulysses and Cara Misty that were raised in Boise where John enjoyed his friends and hobbies, including trivia and history, film and television, restoring vintage automobiles, and of course, working with guitars and music. Two years ago, John’s first and only grandchild, Lil’ John Wassom, who calls him “Pappa,” was named after him, owing to the special place he held in his kids’ hearts. John was always ready to help others when they needed it, including assisting in a fire across the street from Smith’s Chevron, for which the local police awarded him a Mr. McGruff Crime Dog badge.
He often put others’ needs above his own, and he was well known for how much he loved to teach and help others work on their own vehicles. He was always working on projects for himself and others, and he was a warm presence and strong influence to strangers, friends and family alike.Survivors include his wife, Patricia Lee Vetsch; both his children, Jonathan (Jeremiah) Ulysses Vetsch and Cara Misty Wassom; his grandson, “Lil” John Merrick Wassom; and his brother, Frank Phillip Vetsch II.
The family asks you to keep them in your prayers. If you would like to make a donation in honor of John please do so to one of the following:
Disabled American Veterans Charity
http://www.dav.org/
or
Phone (877) I AM A VET = (877) 426-2838.
or the
Juvenile
Diabetes Research Foundation
http://jdrf.org/
or Phone: (800)
533-CURE (2873)
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of John Charles Vetsch, please visit our flower store.
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