John Frank Zaffore

Born in Pueblo CO in 1948 to parents John Zaffore and Esther Gutowsky Zaffore (Enyart), he grew up in Southeast Denver, graduated from East High, and then University of Northern Colorado with a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Education of the Visually Impaired. John taught visually impaired children in Denver Public Schools and later worked in regular classrooms and computer labs, dedicating over thirty years of his life to kids. He loved creating positive solutions for the difficult issues so many of his students encountered in their lives. He spent weekends assisting his daughter Faith Zaffore with horse sports, accompanying her and her horse to eventing competitions in Colorado and Wyoming and once to the Kentucky Horse Park. He retired in 2004 to become “Grandpa Daycare” for his new grandson, Ian. Helping to raise and educate Ian became the passion of his life. John was also mechanical and inventive, able to build and fix almost anything. He shared his skills with friends and neighbors generously. He read, camped, gardened, fished, canoed, volunteered with church and scouts, pondered Scripture, and could make coffee better than anyone.

John was loved by everyone, but most of all by the family that survives him, including wife Kathleen (McIntyre) Zaffore (44 years of marriage), his daughter Faith, her son Ian and husband Bob Warren, his sister Sue (Zaffore) Bradley and her husband Dan Bradley. Others who survive him include his father John Zaffore (age 100), brother David, Uncle Frank Whiting, Aunt Mary LeVan, and many lovely nephews, nieces, cousins and in-laws across the country. We are already missing his sweet spirit, his optimism and joy. He greeted every day as an opportunity to joyfully make the world a better place.