John was born on September 22, 1915 to Phillipp and Elizabeth (nee Ulmer) Schutz of Neudorf, Saskatchewan. He received his formal education at the Pheasant Hills School. John was called into military service during WW2 but was discharged prior to going overseas. He spent his years working on the family farm with his brothers and helped other friends and family members with chores on their farms. John and his two brothers, Jake and Louis, retired from active farming in 1981.

John became a resident of Morris Lodge in Bangor, Saskatchewan in November of 1991, where he remained until August of 2015. John then relocated to St. Paul Lutheran Home in Melville, Saskatchewan, where he resided until the time of his passing.

John was predeceased by his father Phillipp Schutz, mother Elizabeth Schutz (nee Ulmer), brothers Rudolf, Jacob and Ludwig, sisters Karolina, Katie and Emma, and brothers-in-law George Issel, Wilfred Wirth and Ernest Goebel. John is survived by sister-in-law Lorraine Schutz, nephews Kenneth Issel (Elaine), Ralph Goebel, Randy Schutz (Gail), Kelvin Goebel (Faye) and niece Karen Lande (Ian), as well as numerous great-nieces and nephews and their families.