Obituary of John Frederick Shiefer III

John Frederick Shiefer III died at home August 31, 2023, five days short of his 59^th birthday.  He was born in Boise to Judy and John Shiefer on September 5, 1964.  When he was three, he moved to Moscow so his dad could attend the University of Idaho.  When John was five, he moved with his family to Ft. Wolters, Texas, where his dad went to helicopter school for the Army.  His dad was sent to Viet Nam upon graduation and died just short of John’s sixth birthday in Viet Nam.  

John lived in Boise until his mother married Ray Kane.  They joined Ray in Enterprise, Alabama, where Ray was stationed with the Army.  Later, John and his family moved to Ft. Hood, Texas, for three years.  John then moved to Mainz, Germany, where he was able to ski in Zermatt, Switzerland, Austria, and Garmisch, Germany, and visit Holland with his mother.

Upon returning from Germany, John lived in Enterprise, Alabama, just two hours from Panama City Beach, Florida.  John and his friends loved spending time there.  He graduated high school and attended a junior college for two years.  He decided to take a break and spent a year building swimming pools with the father of a friend. 

John returned to Boise in 1985 where he took a degree in business management at Boise State.  After graduation he worked for Norco, Metalcraft and JST Manufacturing.  In 2003 John moved to Orlando, Florida, where he built pools. 

John decided to attend the University of West Florida in Pensacola, Florida, and received a master’s degree in social work in 2011.  He moved to Rock Springs, Wyoming, where he worked and obtained his license as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. 

In 2016, John moved back to Boise and worked for several social work agencies until he was hired at Human Supports. Even though it was difficult to hear the stories his clients had to tell, John loved his work with people who have addiction problems.  He gave them honesty, truth, and love. 

One of the highlights of John’s life was a Christian trip to Israel with his mother.  He was able to walk in the footprints of Christ in his visits to holy places. 

John loved his rescued cats, Joshua and Caleb, and they miss him terribly. 

John was a man of faith and called himself a geek for Jesus.  John is greatly loved and missed. 

Should you choose to do so, any contributions in John’s name would be gratefully appreciated by the Boise Rescue Mission or the Idaho Humane Shelter.   

John is preceded in death by his dad, John Shiefer, his grandparents, his aunt Sherri Shiefer, and his uncle, Victor Smith. John had no children.

There will be a Celebration of Life at the home of Judy and Ray Kane on November 11, 2023, between 2:00pm and 5:00pm, so that his friends may share their John stories