November 21, 1948 – July 21, 2023
John died in his sleep July 21, 2023, at the age of 74. He was out on the road in his motorhome, cruising through the state of South Dakota. A full-time vagabond since about 2017, John relished exploring the backroads and tiny towns of the U.S. with his beloved cats; first Sinbad and then Beans.
John, an only child, was born to Shirley (Horner) Kirn and Terry Lee Kirn in Los Angeles, California. His parents
divorced in 1955 and his mother married Charles Richard Zuttermeister. His dad Terry was killed by a drunk driver while on a motorcycle when John was 7 years old.
John spent a lot of his childhood with his maternal and paternal grandparents, and he was encouraged to read and explore. His Grandmother Kirn took him to museums, concerts, and ballets. He graduated from Warren High School in 1966.
He met and fell in love with Jane Caffee. They were married on Valentine’s Day, 1968. John got a job with the U.S. Postal Service as a mail carrier. Shelly was born later in 1968 and Scott was born in 1972. While in Southern
California, John raced motorcycles in the desert. In 1972, the Kirn family relocated to the small, northern
California town of Cloverdale where John worked at the Post Office. He was able to retire in 2002 after 34 years. John loved camping trips with his family to state and national parks, stopping at every single historical marker along the way.
On his 30th birthday, he gave himself the gift of running, and eventually was a regular participant in 10Ks, half and full marathons throughout the north state. He also trained for and completed a triathlon. He almost always had some sort of project vehicle in the carport and had many adventures with his Land Rover crew in the deserts of Baja and the Great Basin.
John and Jane were fortunate to be able to travel abroad, including multiple trips to Mexico, cruises through the
Panama Canal and the Caribbean, and a “trip of a lifetime” to Egypt. For 10 years, John and Jane participated
in Burning Man festival out on the Black Rock Playa. He enjoyed music, everything from classical to Bob Dylan, to Pink Floyd. In 2009 John and Jane relocated to Santa Rosa, and eventually he transitioned to his dream of being a full-time traveler in his small Winnebego. To say that he was an eccentric free spirit would be an understatement. A
voracious reader, he often had several books going at the same time.
John was preceded in death by his father Terry Kirn, his mother Shirley, and stepfather Dick Zuttermeister. He is
survived by his wife Jane Kirn of Santa Rosa, daughter Shelly Kirn of Chico, son Scott Kirn of Denver, grandsons Miles and Gavin Kirn, and friends and fellow travelers on the road.
There will be no celebration of life. In lieu of flowers, consider donating to Forgotten Felines of Sonoma County, or your favorite cat rescue group.
