John Campbell Schooley

March 20, 2023

John Campbell Schooley, 59, passed away on March 16, 2023 due to multiple health issues. A service will be held for John at noon Friday, March 24,at the LDS Church, 6568 Alderson Lane, Bonners Ferry. A Bay Area memorial service will be planned for July 15, 2023.

He was a “gentle giant,” “class clown,” a “tough love” juvenile probation officer, avid sports fan, and an amazing husband, father, grandfather, brother and family man.

John was born in Oakland, California, on July 8, 1963, the youngest boy with three older sisters who dressed him in wigs, dresses and otherwise tortured him. He took to sports early on and played baseball, football and basketball, playing in many leagues. At six three, he was an intimidating force on the El Cerrito HS football team, as well as the CCC College and Humboldt State football teams. He was known as “schoolhouse” due to his size and the size of his heart. He continued to enjoy sports as an adult, playing in softball and bocce ball leagues.

He met his first wife, Zola Neally, and had three amazing daughters; Heidi, Heather and Haley. He worked for over 30 years as a juvenile probation officer for the Contra Costa County probation department, working with violent offenders, counseling them, playing basketball, teaching life skills and being his goofy, loving self. He always wore shorts, loved his Seattle Seahawks, and adored his family.

He married his co-worker Liz Echols at the top of Mt. Diablo and had his son Aiden Tyrone, who is 10 years old. His three daughters had seven grandkids who called him Papa – Ambrose (5); Kailani (14), Liam (11), and Xzavier (4); and Calliope (8), Rhodri (6), and Madoc (3).

Upon retirement, Liz and John relocated to Bonners Ferry, where they enjoyed the great outdoors, fishing, kayaking and tending their 25 acres. They were active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

He is survived by wife Liz Schooley and son Tyrone, daughters Heidi Brown Gilkison, Heather Schooley, and Haley Robinson and their children, and his siblings Laura Schooley, Kathleen Carlsen, Marcia Hakanson and Randy Christensen and their respective spouses and children.

Donations can be made in his name to the CCC Juvenile Hall Auxiliary, 202 Glacier Dr., Martinez, CA 94553.