John Markovich, born in 1943, to Joan (nee Vitrano) and John Markovich, died on April 8th, just a couple of months shy of his eightieth birthday. He died at home with hospice care. John lived his life as he died, surrounded in love. He loved his wife, he loved his family, he loved fishing, he loved traveling, he loved building “the cabin” with his brother Mike and loved spending time there. He loved family gatherings and he and Denise hosted many whether Boxing Day, birthdays or his favorite, Halloween. One year, for Halloween, he made a talking ghost floating from a tree out front. Inside he hid an old CB radio and a contraption that shook and lit up when anyone passed by. A grown-up hidden inside the house would talk through the CB radio at the little beggers as they walked by. One little one, dressed as a ghostbuster, kept trying to capture the wiggling laughing ghost, much to his father’s despair. It was cold and all the dad wanted to do was hurry his son along. Finally we stopped talking and the dad was able to get his little one to go on to a different house. Another year John fashioned a flying saucer out of an old semi-truck tire and flashing rotating Christmas lights. Somehow he suspended it from a tree and a telephone pole. I’m not sure who had the better time, the kids or the grown-ups, but a grand time was had by all. And John loved it.
One thing all these gatherings had in common was food. John loved food and people loved to feed him because his hummings as he ate let them know that he appreciated their cooking. Which brings us to his life lesson for all of us left behind. Though he appreciated things, like beautiful cars or the cabin, he loved people. He loved his wife, he loved his family and he loved his friends. It’s that we will be toasting at his memorial service/wake on Sunday, the eighteenth of June, one day before his eightieth birthday at the American Legion on Mogadore Road in Kent from one to five. Come raise a glass and tell us a story. And hum while you eat.