John L. Shanafelt, 91, of Coupeville, formerly of Seattle, died at Whidbey General Hospital on June 5, 2009. He was born Dec. 6, 1917 in Seattle, to Otis Shanafelt and Anne (Lauer) Shanafelt. John graduated from Queen Ann High School. In 1940, he graduated from the University of Washington with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism. John was a proud U. S. Army veteran with the 743rd Tank Battalion during World War II, having survived the Normandy Invasion and earning a Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster.

John’s journalism career took him across the country with assignments for the Washington, D.C. Daily News, the Sacramento Bee and the Skagit Valley Herald. He moved from journalism to a career in public relations, culminating as the Public Affairs officer at Norfolk Naval Shipyard.

After retiring, John returned with his daughter Tamela to the great Pacific Northwest in 1976. Then, in 1986, he married Patti Dyche.

He is survived by his wife; children John Shanafelt of Sacramento, Michael Shanafelt and his wife Betsy of Ashland, Ore., and Tamela Dreyer and her husband, Joseph of San Diego; sister Anne Bartlett of Forrest Grove, Ore.; and brother George Shanafelt of Olympia.

John was preceded in death by his parents and one sister, Mary Weeks.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 13, at 1 p.m. at Burley Funeral Chapel in Oak Harbor.

In lieu of flowers, memorials have been suggested to WAIF, P.O. Box 1108, Coupeville, WA 98239. Condolences may be left for the family at www.burleyfuneralchapel.com.