Obituaries

It's impossible to put into words how much John meant to so many people. His sense of humor was unsurpassed. That mischievous giggle of his always meant he was up to something. I don't believe there was a technology he couldn't conquer. He was a friend to so many people, and a dear friend of mine. My condolences to the whole family, I know there are many holes in many hearts right now. I consider it a privilege to have known him. Godspeed John. You are missed.

John will be forever missed by myself and the rest of the LERN team. He was always a pleasure to work with and I will remember him most for the times we had spent together at the LERN Annual Conferences. I was always amazed at how he was able to calmly handle all issues we were presented with. When the rest of us were freaking out, John would calmly solve the problem with a smile on his face. I will never forget John’s sense of humor. He made me and others laugh countless times and always looked on the bright side of a bad situation. He was also one of the smartest people I have known, and he always did a great job helping me with technical issues while not making me dumb for not knowing what I was talking about. But all these traits were trumped by the size of his heart. He was one of the most caring and thoughtful people I have known and would give you the shirt off his back if that was what you needed. I wish I could raise a glass with John one more time, but I know the mark he has left on each of us and the world around us will never fade or be forgotten. My condolences to all of John’s family and friends, I will miss you forever.

I was fortunate enough to work with John for 4 years. He was my favorite person to work with but it didn’t start out that way. I was a fresh out of college try-hard wanting to prove myself and John was an IT master that made everything look easy & did not want to delegate lol. I definitely thought he hated me for that whole first year but I think that was just my learning curve on his personality & humor. Once he realized I could take things over and not screw up I think we got to know each other better. After getting to know him I realized he was one of the funniest people I’ve ever worked with. And like everyone before me mentioned he was a true family man. John was there for a couple of my life milestones like buying my first house & renovating it, getting engaged & getting married. And for each of those milestones he had so many stories & advice. Especially when he proposed & got married to his wife Carrie. It was clear that John loved Carrie & their boys so much and that they all had a good sense of humor. After I left the team I stayed in touch and made him a mentor of mine. I told him stories of the business side people and how they were not like IT people at all. I had plans of setting up another mentor meeting with him after I got back from maternity leave with my first baby because I don’t know the first thing about raising boys. I know no words can ease the family’s pain but please know I’m thinking of you. I’m so terribly sorry.

John was always everyone’s favorite at work, with his quick, wry sense of humor and incredible inner warmth. He made us all smile and laugh, whether he was just being goofy, or being brilliant. He called me “gramma” and I called him “kid” - always with reverence for his amazing sense of self (that he carefully tried to pass off as immaturity - which no one who knew and loved him believed…). I was privileged to watch him grow from a college student to a loving, devoted and proud family man. What a heartbreaking and heavy loss for so many people whose lives he made brighter and more fun just by his being part of them.

Knowing John since I was 8, my memories of him will linger forever. He was smart, funny, quirky. Even when we had not seen each other in years, he still had a peaceful energy. My prayers go out to his wife and his family. He made a mark on lives. I am so sorry for your loss.

It is every wish that we lead a fulfilling life surrounded by loved ones to support, care and harmonize our goals, dreams and visions. The life we lead is the example by which was set by those mentors, leaders and loved ones who share common goals, morals and principles. For that one can say that life is a one-way ticket to extraordinary, yet it is our choice to decide where we stop to complete the journey. John decided to stay on that train and live with every breath. Leaders are forever students continuing to challenge every aspect of their life, character and expressions. Constantly stretching themselves to the limits and never allowing comfort to be comforting. Thank you John for your leadership, thank you for all that you have taught to those who you have given a part of yourself. Those who you know and those you have not even met. Thank you for the elements of life you gave without profit or gain, truly you were surrounded by many loved ones. Cancer has no discrimination as I console with such a loss, yet it is with great sympathy and condolence to the family, loved ones and close friends for such a loss. I did not work much with John, yet I know him through actions and compliments, he was a great part of the team and very resourceful. You will be greatly missed. Godspeed John.

John's love of life will be with me forever. His essence was grounded on moral traits including loyalty, honesty, courage, integrity and fortitude. I was fortunate to meet John over 25 years ago. As co-workers and friends John routinely reminded me of the significance of having a caring heart and doing the right thing. In actions and words John professed the importance of everyone, whether family, friend, community member or co-worker, and demonstrated daily his willingness to do whatever was needed to make it happen. Many IT gurus can be snarky, but John took the time to teach but also to learn so that he too could be a better professional and person. While John was certainly his own person, he understood the importance of the whole. My fondest memory of John is the role he played at the LERN Conferences. Whether getting up early to make sure session rooms were ready, handling the registration desk and providing 'A1, Second to None' customer service, or keeping us all smiling when the going got tough, John was instrumental in making LERN Conferences a success and fun. My life is fuller and I am a better person because of John. I will miss seeing John, but I know in spirit he will never leave the ones he loved.

Never has their been a greater husband, father, son, brother, friend, neighbor, coworker or stranger. John was born with a heart of gold. He loved deeply. He was a family man, through and through. He was brilliant, in every way. Just like his dad, there was nothing John couldn’t do! I will always be grateful for being born into his family. I will forever miss his laugh. His contagious energy. His unwavering beverage options every time you stopped by his house…and we all know it wasn’t an option, a beverage will be in your hand and you would drink it 😉. I was fortunate enough to enjoy 39 years of time with him. Practical jokes, laughter, games, fighting (you know how siblings are and I’m feisty). When our dad died, he carried the torch. Unwaveringly. He was the family patriarch, the caregiver, the glue that held us all together. He intertwined the siblings to the parents, the aunts and uncles, the cousins. I will miss watching his devotion and adoration for his wife and boys. I will miss seeing him be youthful with my children. I will forever miss the practical jokes, from stickers to tire cap covers. I’ll miss the whoppings he gave me playing Scrabble (and the whoppings Carrie gave us both!). The world became a little darker with his passing and it will never be the same. I will forever have a hole in my heart where John lives, aching for just one more fun exchange…