John Harold Schaecher passed away on January 18, 2026. John was born in San
Francisco, California on December 12, 1940. Although he had lived most of his
life in California, he had been a resident of Wauchula, Florida since 2017. He
and his wife of 54 years had spent the previous 18 years traveling in their
motorhome to every state in our wonderful United States. Health problems
eventually forced them to hang up their keys and settle down on their daughter's
and son-in-law's property.
During his working years, John had several different careers, including auto parts
sales, boat repairs, and container shipping customer service. He was happiest
when he was helping people solve their problems.
John had a lifelong passion for traveling. He would drive a different way to and
from work and around town just to see something different. This frequently
caused him to end up on dead-end streets or unfamiliar neighborhoods. He and
his wife, Madalyn, were part of the founders of the Nor Cal Van Club in the
1970s. While leading a caravan to an event, he frequently took them on
unknown roads and miles out of the way. Friends lovingly called the excursions
Shacker's Pass.
In 1999 John somehow convinced his wife that they should retire from their jobs,
buy a motorhome and travel around the country. They spent the next 18 years
having the biggest adventure of their lives. They visited most of the NASCAR
tracks, State Capitols, National Parks and Presidential Libraries in the United
States, while searching for the best potato salad in each state. They met
numerous people who are still wonderful long-distance friends.
John is predeceased by his parents, John and Muriel Schaecher, and one
brother, William Stockham, who passed away the day prior to John. He is
survived by his wife, Madalyn, one son, John Allen (Susan) Schaecher, two
grandsons, Timothy and Daniel, three brothers, James (Barbara) Stockham,
Robert (Rosemary) Stockham, David (Alyson) Stockham, and one sister, Debra
Del Rosario. He is also survived by Madalyn's daughters and son-in-law, whom
he loved like his own, Cindy and Randall Hand and Wendy Fiegel, as well as five
Hand grandchildren, Justin (Christin), Jeremy (Kasmera), Jessica (Heath
Prescott), Jennifer (Shane Conley), Jamilynn (Joshua Dotson), and nine great-
grandchildren.