John Wayne Redelfs passed away peacefully at the age of 78 on Friday, November 24th, 2023, in Meridian, Idaho, surrounded by his wife and children.
John is survived by his wife, Esperanza, their children Sara (John) Peterson, Rebekah (Jeff) Haskell, Jack Redelfs. He is survived by his grandchildren, Julia, John, Rivkah, Sabrina, and
Gideon Haskell, as well as Jacob, Christa, Rebekah and Sara Elizabeth Peterson. He is also survived by his daughter, Anne Sullivan, his brothers Mike (Mary) Redelfs, Jim (Leslie) Redelfs, and
his sister Mary Redelfs, as well as his much loved nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, John Redelfs, Sara Kelley, his brother Tim (Mathilde Cason) Redelfs, and his nephew Arthur (Lesley) Redelfs.
John was born on July 16th, 1945 in Omaha, Nebraska, the first of five children born to John Wright Redelfs and Sara Anna Smith. He was doted on by his grandparents and great-grandparents,
and had many fond memories of his uncle Bob Redelfs. During high school, John relocated from Omaha to El Paso, Texas, where he joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and ignited what would become a lifelong devotion to his Savior. After serving honorably in the United States Marine Corps as a Private First Class, he attended the University of Texas El Paso, Brigham Young University, and the University of Houston.
John met the love of his life, Esperanza Merino, in Los Angeles, California. They were married on July 8th, 1978, in the Los Angeles Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. John and Esperanza were blessed with three children: Sara Anna, Rebekah, and Jack. In addition to being a patient and affectionate father, John had many nieces and nephews, whom he loved dearly.
In 1985, John and Esperanza moved to Alaska. They lived happily in Alaska for twenty-five years, where John devoted his time to the rearing and education of their children. John and Esperanza relocated to Caldwell, Idaho in 2008 to reside nearer their children. John was a loving and involved grandfather to nine grandchildren. He was an avid reader all his life, and an early adopter of the internet, spending many pleasant hours playing online games with his brother, Mike. He was known for his open and friendly manner. There was no such thing as a stranger to John. He is remembered as a loving husband and father, devoted to his family, his faith, and his love for his country.
A funeral service will be held on December 1, 2023 at 11:00 am at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located at 11792 Linden Road Caldwell, Idaho. A visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. Following the funeral service the committal service with military honors will take place at Canyon Hill Cemetery. To leave condolences go to www.bowmanfuneral.com.
To live stream the service go to https://zoom.us/j/94514637947?pwd=UnN2cjNGUXJ3bzFRVHRDanBna3BsZz09