John Zabelle

John Zabelle

July 15, 1944 – February 27, 2025

Early Thursday morning, my dad, John Zabelle, went to be with the Lord, peacefully at home in his sleep. He fought a long battle with cancer, beating the odds for many years before Jesus took his hand and led him into paradise.

Dad’s life was defined by his unwavering sense of duty, strength, and adventurous spirit. As a proud Marine who served two tours in Vietnam, he faced dangers that many of us can only imagine. A soldier at heart, he was driven and goal oriented. At all times, dad was on the lookout for opportunities. He always had a new idea cooking, and with every encounter, he had an exciting story to tell. His enthusiasm was contagious! You could sit dad in any room, and he would engage people with his stories. Dad had a unique way of connecting with the world that left an impression on everyone he met. He was friendly, humorous, and charming. Dad lived an exciting life.

In his professional life, dad was the proud owner of Golden West Builders in Lodi, California, and built custom homes for over 20 years. He was also a certified scuba instructor, a competitive water skier, and a passionate motorcycle enthusiast, known to take cross-country rides. A lover of the outdoors, he enjoyed boating, hunting, and in his later years, befriending wild squirrels.

He treasured his family, often sharing stories of his life, singing off-key to country classics, and passionately debating his love for Honda motorcycles over Harley-Davidsons. His friends called him Johnny, some called him Zaboo, but to his family he was known affectionately as "Poppa John." He was brave and resilient, and he loved to travel, especially to China. This is where he met the love of his life, Maria. He often told me that God sent her to him, he called her his angel. Dad was passionate about sharing his faith and had the opportunity to preach the gospel in underground churches there. He had a deep respect for the culture and people. Dad lived his life with the belief that anything was possible if you worked hard enough and modeled this with the legacy of his life. He will be missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him.

Dad was born on July 15, 1944, in Los Angeles, California. He was the youngest of six children born to Charlotte Vonderahe and John Zabelle Sr. He was preceded in death by his siblings and is survived by his loving wife of 12 years, Lieju (Maria) Zabelle, four daughters: Traci Solliday, Marlo Monzon, Jennifer King and Rongjinmei Hou, and a son-in-law that was like a son, Rick Monzon. Dad leaves behind eight grandchildren: From Marlo - Brittany (36), Emily (32), Katie (24), and Julia (22). From Traci - Kaitlyn (31) and Meagan (29). From Jennifer - Decklin (14) and Finnegan (6). He also had four great-grandchildren: Ashley (17), Bryce (10), Isabella (6), Zachary (2) and one on the way.

My dad was the strongest man I’ve ever known. There were things that he endured throughout his life that no one knows about, the battles and the struggles that he went through. Dad made his life a force for God, scars and all. This is the largest testimony that I can give on the life of my father. I am proud to be his daughter. Poppa John, you will forever remain in our hearts

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