John L Shearer

William John L. Shearer who most people would have known as John or John L. passed away peacefully, on Saturday, March 30, 2019 at the VA Hospital in Omaha, Ne., after battling cancer. He was the young age of 80 and 4 days short of his 81st birthday that would have been on April 3. He was born in Martinsville, Mississippi on April 3,1938 to Rev. John C. Shearer and Myra E. Shearer. John was baptized in the same pond where his older sister Charlene was baptized as a member to the New Hope Baptist Church in Mendenhall, Mississippi. He left high school to enlist into the Air Force in 1953 and earned the rank of Airman and was stationed in Omaha Nebraska. There he met Donna D. Bagley and was married February 27, 1960. They raised two children, John David and Vicky Jean in Carter Lake, Iowa. John got a job at the Vickers plant in Omaha near Carter Lake until the plant was relocated to Northwest Omaha under the name Sperry Vickers. He earned his GED in 1979 through the Council Bluffs Schools. He worked hard to provide for his family by also having a part time janitorial job. He retired from Sperry Vickers in 2000 after 37 years. After retirement he worked part-time at the Airport as a Security Guard. When not working he enjoyed bowling on a mixed league with Donna and some good friends and won several trophies. He enjoyed going on family vacations to visit with his family in Magee Mississippi, Carthage Texas and Ozark Arkansas. He enjoyed watching sports on tv and listening to music. After Donna passed away in 2008 he met Linda Richards and they were together for 11 years. They both enjoyed trips to Branson, Missouri, going to the Senior Center and YMCA in Council Bluffs to workout, going to Bayliss Park and the Salvation Army for live music events and going out to dinner. John and Linda attended church at Broadway United Methodist Church in Council Bluffs where he was a member and enjoyed going to different church activities.

John was proceeded in death by parents; wife Donna D, April 12, 2008. Survived by son John David (Chris) Shearer of Omaha, Nebraska and daughter Vicky (Dave Warta) Shearer of LaVista, Nebraska; grandchildren Nicholas and Andrew; Sister Charlene Weseman of Ozark, Arkansas; Sister Judy (Dwain) Foster of Carthage, Texas; extended family Jamie (Neil) McGehee of Ozark, Arkansas, Mark (Angela) Weseman of Ozark, Arkansas, Jeanie (Ryan) Whatley of Texas; Linda Richards of Council Bluffs, Iowa