Obituaries : John W. Schanbacher

John Wilbert Schanbacher, 74, of Atkins, passed away surrounded by his family on Sunday January 4, 2026, at West Ridge Care Center.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM, Thursday, January 8, 2026, at St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church in Atkins with Rev. Jeffrey Schanbacher officiating.  Interment will be held at St. Stephen’s Cemetery, Atkins.  Visitation will be held from 4:30 until 7:00 PM, Wednesday, at St. Stephen’s Lutheran Fellowship Hall in Atkins.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be directed to Hospice of Mercy, Westridge Care Center, or St. Stephen’s.

John was born September 17, 1951, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the son of Wilbert and Eda (Rinderknecht) Schanbacher. He was united in marriage to Eileen Schanbacher on March 17, 2000.

John worked for Fleck’s Sales until retirement in October 2017. When not working for Fleck’s Sales, John enjoyed working with his cousin farming during the busy seasons. He was a loving father and grandfather who loved each day spent with his grandchildren, road trips to casinos and Las Vegas, and Oliver tractors. He was an avid Chicago Cub & Iowa Hawkeye fan.

John is survived by his wife, Eileen Schanbacher, their children, Brenda Heyer of Atkins, Iowa, Julie (Duane) Farner of Wichita, Kansas, their grandchildren Tara, Harrison, Thomas, Hope, and Ana, and 1 great grandson River, his siblings, Barb Schanbacher of Iowa City and Pat (Ivan) Lauck of West Bend, Iowa, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Wilbert and Eda Schanbacher. 

West Ridge Care Center staff are truly outstanding. We are very fortunate that John was able to stay at the care center and the team became more than caregivers but a part of the family. We will be forever grateful for their genuine care, concern, and love for John.

Online Condolences: www.phillipsfuneralhomes.com