John Gilbert Shake

John was born on September 23, 1951 to Gilbert and Mary Alice in Vincennes, Indiana. John graduated from lincoln High School in 1969 and Hanover College in 1973 with a degree in Business Administration. From there John went to Washington, DC where he was a Legislative Assistant intern at the U.S. House of Representatives from 1973 to 1976. He then moved to Louisville where he had many jobs in the hospitality industry including Director of Sales and Marketing at the galt House Hotel and general Manager at The Hurstbourne Hotel, Holiday Inn, and finally the Crown Plaza Airport Expo Center from where he retired in 2017. John also served on numerous boards in the hospitality industry and received several awards including the prestigious Rose Award given by the Louisville Convention Bureau to honor those who have made outstanding contributions to Louisville tourism.

John was often referred to as a gentle giant for his relaxed approach, warm smile, and love for life which inspired his friends and family. Known for his witty, dry sense of humor, he was quick to make moments more enjoyable with that mischievous bit of twinkle in his eye that sometimes led to a good prank or two. Simply put, when John was around life was more fun. And John was sentimental acting as a captain in nostalgic trips down memory lane about family, friends, and fond memories. He enjoyed his daily rituals like catching up on the news and social media on his IPad, usually with a Diet Coke in hand, walking his beloved dogs Otis and Bentley, and, as of late, substituting golf for pickleball. He had a travel bug and was always onto planning the next trip before the previous one was complete, at times to his wifes dismay. Essential annual adventures included vacations in Hilton Head and meet-ups with his rowdy, faithful Beta fraternity brothers and wives. When you became friends with John, it was for life - and he always made you feel like you were one of his best friends because you were. Whether you knew him professionally or personally, he gave you his full attention and respect. He had room in his heart for many and, most notably, his deep love, pride and gratitude for his wife and son. In his final years, he spent a lot of time expressing his devotion for any and all to hear.

John was preceded in death by his loving parents, Gilbert and Mary Alice Shake, his sister Barbara Sparenberg, his brother Curtis Shake, his brothers-in-law Jerry Sparenberg, Pat Gehl, and Frank Papp, and his parents-in-law Martin and Lucille Pohl.

He is survived by his wife of 48 years Kaethe, his son Ryan (Caitlin), and four grandchildren (Madalyn, Ryder, Ezra, and Alexis), his sister Patricia Gehl, Sisters-in-law Linda Shiels, Marianne Papp, and Tonya Shake, brother-in-law Steve Shiels, and along with several nieces and nephews who adored him as the "cool" uncle.

Visitation will be Saturday, June 14, 2025 from 1:00 to 3:00 pm at the Owl Creek Lodge, 10607 Hobbs Station Rd. Louisville, KY 40223. To best celebrate John's kind spirit, take a moment to reach out to those you love and give them a boost of kindness and laughter the way he often did for so many.

Donations can be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma society in John's name.