John L Shallenberger

John L Shallenberger (just the L; his mother refused to give him the traditional family name of Leroy) died of cardiac arrest on November 30, 2022.

John was born and immediately dubbed “the baby” to Orvil and Betty Shallenberger on October 4, 1963. Growing up with three older sisters, he might have learned to be more of a lady’s man – or at least to pick up his dirty socks.

John was preceded in death by his parents and daughter Briana Shallenberger. He is survived by his sisters Donna Berning, Penny Snyder, and Tina Smith, as well as his proudest living accomplishments: daughter Lynsey Soliday and son Jared Shallenberger. He also bequeathed his sarcastic charm and extensive candy collection too many grandchildren including Isabella, Jameson, Noah, Gabriyel, and Atlas.

He has a sixth grandchild on the way, for which he was exceptionally excited and knew his dad would be, too. Two grandsons will carry on the Shallenberger name and keep the Shallybird legacy alive.

A voracious reader, John spent many hours absorbing sci-fi fantasy novels and was stoked when Game of Thrones became a TV show… right up until the last season anyway. He was also a self-taught culinary artist and loved to recreate diverse cultural dishes for his family and friends. When he recently came to live with his daughter, he happily complained that he would be, “cooking all the time.”

John died knowing that John Wayne was the greatest actor ever, and that Clint Eastwood was the baddest man on the planet – besides maybe Al Pacino. He loved classic rock (although he would have cringed to hear it called “classic”), watching Westerns, documentaries, and anything related to Roman history.

Throughout his life, John overcame many health issues. Diagnosed with heart disease at a young age, he struggled with depression and alcoholism. Despite these challenges, and maybe in part because of them, he remained down-to-earth, sharp as a tack, and accumulated a never-ending supply of sassy comebacks. His most memorable motto was, “I was born at night, but not last night.”

Following his wishes, there will not be a traditional funeral service. Well-wishers are encouraged to share their most memorable experiences with the family and join us in the spring of 2023, when his ashes will be laid to rest with his parents and grandmother at Covington Memorial Gardens in Fort Wayne, IN.

His heart of this world may have failed, but his spirit remained stubbornly strong.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating toward John’s memorial fund, which will be used to offset the cost of cremation and burial expenses (https://everloved.com/life-of/john-shallenberger/).