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February 11, 2021His sense of humor, love of country, and Italian heritage will always be with us. John is survived by Frances Marie, his loving wife of 61 years, and his four children, John Jr and Ann Marie (Hinkson) of Algonquin, IL; Christopher and Erika (Lucero) of Shorewood, IL; Judi Lynn Archer of Argyle, TX; Michelle and Savario Campobasso of Celina, TX. John Sr. has 11 grandchildren: Matthew, Michael, Jonathan, and Benjamin Messina; Griffith, Mason, Kennedy, and Carson Messina; Isabelle and Giovanni Archer; Gabriella, Giada, and Giuliana Campobasso, and the first great-grandchild on the way.
John was born in Burgettstown, PA to Raimando and Calogera on February 17, 1938. He loved to tell the story of how his father, Raimando came to America, to escort two family members from Sicily to Ellis Island, with the plan of returning home after working to pay for the ride home. Instead, Raimando loved America and the small town in Western PA so much, he used the money he earned to send for his wife and John’s older brother Peter, who were located in San Cataldo, a small town in Sicily.
Along with Peter; John had two other siblings; Michael is second brother and his sister Josephine. John graduated from Westinghouse High School in 1956, where he kept in shape by boxing and playing the saxophone. John enjoyed playing the sax while listening to Jazz greats like Stan Kenton and Dave Brubeck.
After High School, John enlisted in the Marines and served at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. He was NOT a Hollywood Marine (Marines will understand). After discharge in 1958, John was attending a dance back home in Pennsylvania. He happened to run into a lovely young lady from his high school, who was attending classes and working at the University of Pittsburgh. Frances eventually provided her phone number and John called for a date. He arrived in a beautiful 1957 Buick (his brother-in-law’s car) and the rest is history!
John and Fran were married on February 27, 1960. They moved into their first apartment in East Liberty, a small neighborhood in Pittsburgh. John was working at Cox’s shoe store while Fran was raising the family. Their next home included a move into the suburbs of Penn Hills. John then took a new job with the purchasing department at the Boston Store and moved the family about 90 miles north to Mill Creek, PA. The next move, a year later in 1970, was to Sassafras Street in Erie PA. In 1976, John took a new job with Joseph Horne Company, an upscale department store in Pittsburgh, and back to the Pittsburgh suburbs, they went. In Murrysville, you could see John driving around in one of his many manual transmission VW’s. In 1982, the opportunity came calling again, when Madigan’s, a boutique department store in Chicago, hired him as their Purchasing Manager. On the advice of cousins who lived there, John and Fran settled the family in Elk Grove Village, IL. John retired from purchasing after a move to Ben Franklin Stores. He kept busy working at a small print shop and then officially retiring after he established his sales rep company, calling on old friends that he worked with throughout the years.
John and Fran eventually retired to the great state of Texas to be with their daughters. John never lost his love for music…Jazz and Country. Always the sports enthusiast, he was born a Pirates fan, he migrated to the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field and celebrated the Cubs World Series. His true sports passion though was Steelers Football. He would watch the Bears if there was not a Steelers game being broadcasted. (Steelers fans will understand).
John enjoyed volunteering at the local food bank, assisting at St. Julian’s Catholic Church, playing Bingo with the folks, gardening, attending meetings with the local Marines, attending Mass, and most of all-helping friends and family whenever needed. His favorite color is Black and Gold.
John is missed by friends and family across the country.
In Lieu of flowers, please send donations to:
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Mass of Christian Burial will be St. Gabriel the Archangel Church 110 St Gabriel Way, McKinney, Texas 75071, on Tuesday, February 22nd at 10 AM, followed by a Veterans Funeral At Dallas -Fort Worth National Cemetery, 200 Mountain Creek Parkway, Dallas Texas
Watch the live-stream here
