It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of John Michael Robel on December 6, 2024. John was born September 28, 1956 in Yakima, Washington to Denis and Marie and spent his early childhood years roaming the family orchards in Selah, which he deeply loved.

The family moved to Spokane in 1966 where John attended St. Francis and St. Charles Elementary Schools, Gonzaga Prep and Rogers, and SFCC. From a very early age, John was a gifted auto mechanic. As a student at Prep, he fitted a tricycle with a motor for spirit day, and he always loved making race cars, motorcycles and tractors run better and go faster.

After high school, he worked on fishing boats in Dutch Harbor Alaska, owned his own mechanic shop, then joined the Union Pacific Railroad as a conductor and engineer. John met and married his wife Linda in 1993 and they had a son, Marshall, and a daughter, Lena. John finally realized his lifelong dream when they bought property on Greenbluff, where they raised the kids, grew delicious fruit, and served many happy customers at Robel's Orchard. He had a brilliant mind, was extremely well read and self-educated. John's many talents included mechanics, auto racing, carpentry, hunting, playing multiple instruments including guitar, banjo and pedal steel, and writing. His MacGyver-ish skill and instincts made him the first choice of companion if any of us were to be stranded on a desert island, and his hilarious wit and infectious laugh would make it all-the-more bearable.

John was a loving husband and father, grandpa, son, brother and uncle, doted on his kids and grandkids and was always willing to read them a book. He loved animals and brought home an assortment of beloved family pets over the years. John was preceded in death by his dad Denis, brother David, grandparents, aunts and uncles. He is survived by his wife Linda, son Marshall (Abbigail), daughter Lena, stepsons Nathan Oulman and Zachary Oulman and their families, grandkids Reagan, Luke, Waylon, and Jaylyn, mom Marie, brother Greg, and sisters Diane and Janet, nieces, nephews, and cousins. John was and is so loved and cherished, and we take solace knowing he is back on the Selah orchard he yearned for his entire life with all of the family, enjoying a Robel picnic.

We thank the staff at Holy Family Hospital for their kind and compassionate care of John and our family during his stay there.

John's memorial Mass will be held Saturday, December 28 at 11:00 am at St. Charles Church in Spokane.