He was raised in the Portsmouth, Ohio area along with his younger brother, David. He married the love of his life and high school sweetheart, Opal B Kiourtsis, on January 20, 1955 – just weeks after his 17th birthday. As John and Opal built a life together he pursued a variety of professional and creative endeavors. John joined the United States Army and found a career which lasted 33-years, starting as an enlisted man and retiring with the rank of Colonel. During his time in the military John served in Korea and Vietnam; as well as throughout South America. As John and Opal tried to start a family they adopted their daughter, Tracy Stetzinger, after being told they could not have children of their own. A few years later Opal gave birth to their son Andy; who, in a favorite family story, was originally believed to be a thyroid condition and was eventually delivered by a veterinarian in Panama.
John attended Ohio State University, where he taught ROTC and eventually earned a master’s degree in international relations. Somewhere during his career, he found the time to work as a radio announcer, under the pseudonym of Phil Foster, and as a football referee. He also received training as a clown and performed in a variety of plays, with a particular fondness for the works of Neal Simon. Upon leaving the army, John became an adjunct history professor at Valencia Community College in Orlando, Florida. He also worked as a trainer within the Walt Disney theme parks, where he was proud to receive the Partners in Excellence award.
No life is without sorrow, and John lost Opal a few days before the national tragedy taking place on September 11, 2001. He would later move from Central Florida to lower Alabama, where he served in the leadership of the Republican Party in Baldwin County, and as a mentor within the local Veteran’s Court assisting former military personnel in need. Health concerns caused John to fully retire in 2016, and he moved to Fort Collins, Colorado, to live with his daughter Tracy, and her husband, Toby Swaford. John enjoyed working out and volunteering at the local senior center, as well as riding the trails of Fort Collins on his recumbent trike. He was often seen biking to his favorite coffee shop, and sampling beers from the many local breweries.
On November 2nd, 2018, John began a battle with pneumonia which saw him in and out of healthcare facilities over the holidays and into the New Year. His humor and outgoing personality won him many friends and fans amongst his care providers. It’s important to note that his final act was to convince his doctors to write a prescription for beer – to be administered three times a day with meals. Shortly thereafter, satisfied with this and a lifetime of other accomplishments, John Stetzinger passed in his sleep at approximately 1:45 am on Thursday, February 14, 2019.
John is survived by his daughter, Tracy Stetzinger, and son-in-law, Toby Swaford of Fort Collins, Colorado; and his son, Andy Stezinger, and daugher-in-law, Wendy Stetzinger who provided John with two beautiful grandchildren, Daniel and Emily Stetzinger. Per John’s wishes his life will be celebrated in a private family gathering. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the National Center for State Courts, https://www.ncsc.org/Donate.aspx
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18