Click here to bookmark this memorial. |
John Grazioso Date of Birth: April 28, 1960 Department: eSpeed Sales In losing John (and Tim) their parents, lost two of their three children. John is survived by his beautiful wife of ten years, Tina and their three gorgeous children: Kathryn (7), Kristen (4), and Michael (10 months). John had an affinity for many things, golf, fine food, cigars, and spending time with friends and family. He loved Bruce Springsteen, and knew every word to every song. None greater was the love John had for his wife and children. John was a devoted father and a great husband. He loved all aspects of fatherhood, bath time, bedtime stories, and singing Amazing Grace. John adored his wife, was very proud of his daughters, and beamed when Michael was born. He brought Michael everywhere (cleaners, carwash, gas station, and food shopping). Michael still looks at John’s picture and says “DaDa”, kissing the picture between “DaDa”s! John was a great cook. He loved making his girls breakfast, their favorite, silver dollar pancakes. John was fun-loving, quick-witted, with a great sense of humor. Weekends, John managed to squeeze in 18 holes before lunch, spending the day with his wife and children. John was loyal, kind, sensitive, caring, and protective of those he loved. He wanted his children raised in a warm, loving environment with traditional values. We could never replace what is lost for his children; the void is too great. All we could do is try to give these children the lives their father wanted them to have. To help fulfill John’s dreams, make their future a little less uncertain, John’s sister, Carolee, established a trust fund. Anyone wishing to help make a better future for his children could send contributions to the educational trust at: John Grazioso Children’s Fund Box 1193 Newark, NJ 07101
|
When my husband (Joe Hasson) and I were expecting a child, John was so excited for us. He would tell Joe every day how great it was to be a dad. Well, when baby Joseph arrived Joe said to me, “I hope I’m half as good a dad as Johnny G is”. Well he only had three months to be a Dad, but I thank John for all his advice he gave to Joe. May they give us the strength to go on and make our children proud.
JOHNNY “G” WAS A SPECIAL & UNIQUE GUY. HE WAS ABLE TO BE EVERYONE’S FRIEND AND ALWAYS HAD A SMILE ON HIS FACE. I’LL ALWAYS REMEMBER HOW JOHNNY WOULD WALK AROUND THE BOND ROOM AT LUNCH TIME, ESP. ON FRIDAYS, AND ASK “WHAT DO YOU GOT THERE?” AND OF COURSE-HE GOT SOME!!! BUT WHAT I ADMIRE MOST ABOUT JOHNNY WAS THE WAY HE SPOKE ABOUT HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN AND HOW OFTEN HE’D SHOW ME UPDATED PICTURES OF “HIS LITTLE ANGELS”. I’M NUMB BY WHAT HAPPENED STILL AND ONLY PRAY THAT HEAVEN TRULY IS A BETTER PLACE BECAUSE JOHNNY AND HIS BROTHER AND ALL “OUR” FRIENDS DESERVE IT. GOD BLESS YOU JOHNNY G. AND GOD BLESS HIS BEAUTIFUL FAMILY.
Johnny “G”, as we all called him, was one of the nicest people I have ever met at Cantor. I remember when he passed through my department during his tenure in the training program – he was so humble (and remained that way). He would do anything to make our lives easier. He was always there to help. My deepest sympathies and prayers go out to his family. His family should be proud of him, he was a quality human being.
For 38+ years, I had the honor and privelege to be Johnny’s little sister. It is beyond my wildest imagination that he is no longer here. While I continue to “talk” to him all day long, I miss his talking back to me. I have always considered myself lucky to be Graz’s sister. While we had more than our fair share of fights as children, we grew up to be great friends. He is someone who I admired and whose opinion I sought out and respected. As a child and as an adult, I was so very proud to be his little sister. I will forever miss the way he protected me, the way he made me laugh, and the way he has always stood by my side. I will miss his quick wit and his great sense of humor. He was a GREAT brother and a GREAT man. He was honorable, honest, and loyal to those he loved. He was kind, sensitive and thoughtful. He always remembered those special days in my life and was always there when I needed him. He was a big part of our family and his presence will be forever missed. Most importantly he was a GREAT father and a GREAT husband. His greatest love and greatest accomplishment in his life was his wife and children. He simply adored Tina, Kathryn, Kristen, and Michael. He always called to tell me their newest achievements. I wish he was here to watch his children grow into beautiful adults, but I know he will continue to beam with pride as he looks down from Heaven on his wife and children. I love you Johnny.
How can I put into words my feelings about Johnny G? He was one of the greatest guys I have ever known. Johnny and I started at eSpeed on the same day. It was a day I will remember forever and surely could not have had a better partner to cut my teeth with. We were like two fish out of water, but at least we had each other. As the days went by we got to know each other better. John was very clear about what he cherised in life. One was his family; the girls, Mike, Tina were his top priority. John also loved Bruce Springsteen to the point that no one in the office could mention Bruce Springsteen and not include Johnny in the conversation. Another love of his was golf. If he didn’t have to work I think the guy would have played golf every day. Food was another passion of his, just let him at the menu and Johnny did some of his best work. And the cigars, I think the guy dragged me into every cigar store in New York, Cohiba, Montecristo, ring size number 7, these are just some of the new vocabulary words that Johnny taught me. He was a guy who stood for family, friends and hard work. I truly am a better person for having known him and will always be thankful for our time together. Not a day will go by that I will not think of him. That being said, I know for the rest of my life not a day is going to go by that I won’t smile. Thinking of him, how can I not?
“Good Morning Monica” “Good Morning Johnny G” Every morning without fail, Johnny G would tilt his head around his computer and greet me with a warm smile.
Johnny G, I pass cigar shops or smell a burning cigar and I can’t help but smile, laugh and think of you. I get breakfast in the cafeteria and I laugh thinking of Pepe and you hanging around the Cantor Cafe enjoying a “free” breakfast! I miss our arguments about cigar smoke and how I agree with Tina that you should stop, our discussions of what your girls have had for breakfast and your stories about your latest outing with Michael. I miss you Johnny G.
And I’ll always miss your morning greetings.
To all who have been touched by this wonderful man John, I am so VERY SORRY for your loss.
I am deeply saddened that this is the way I have had to truly understand what a wonderful husband, father, son/step-son, brother/half-brother, brother-in-law, uncle, friend and cousin that he was. I just hope we can fulfill some of what John wanted for his family. It’s very hard to look at the children without crying, thank God they are not alone. A father who wanted to give the best to his family is someone we all admire.
I have known the Grazioso family for the past 26 years. Although I no longer live in New Jersey I have remained close with John and Tim’s younger sisters Karen and Kristy and their stepmother Carole.
When I saw the events of Sept. 11 unfolding on TV I couldn’t believe my eyes. Later that day I learned that Tim and John were in Tower 1. My heart broke. I felt helpless and could not imagine what their families were going through.
Over the last 26 years I saw Tim and John at many family functions (birthdays, graduations, summer picinics). I last saw Tim and John at Karen’s wedding in ’95. It was strange seeing them grown with children when most of my memories of them were as teenagers.
Although I did not have a lot of contact with them in recent years I know that they were very proud of their families and their families were proud of the wonderful men and fathers they had become.
I continue to pray for Tim and John and their families.
May their children know that they were blessed to have such men in their lives, however short it may have been. God Bless all of you.
Jill (des Lauriers) Marinich
TO THE FAMILY OF JOHN GRAZIOSO; PLEASE KNOW THAT JOHN WAS AND IS STILL LOVED BY EVERYONE THAT CAME INTO CONTACT WITH HIM, LIKE HIS OLDER BROTHER TIMMY, I WROTE ABOUT IN HIS TRIBUTE, JOHN WAS ONE OF THE GOOD GUYS, TOO. JOHN, TOO, WAS A LOVING HUSBAND, SON, FATHER, STEPSON, BROTHER, UNCLE AND FRIEND TO ALL HE CAME INTO CONTACT WITH. HE, TOO, HAS A LOT OF GOOD PEOPLE PRAYING FOR HIM AND HIS FAMILY THAT HE LEFT BEHIND. MAY GOD HOLD YOU ALL IN HIS HANDS FOREVER, AND KEEP YOU IN HIS PEACE. IN CHRIST- JOHN
From the brothers of the Zeta Sigma chapter at Florida Tech, we would like to extend our deepest sympathies and warm wishes to the family and friends of brother John Grazioso.
In his time at Florida Tech, John touched the lives of many: always eager to lend a hand, always available when you needed a good laugh, always there when you needed a shoulder to cry on, or simply someone to talk with. Even after you graduated, the legacy continued. Stories about you and what you did in your time here have been passed on through the years to new brothers, and all in the fraternity know you by name.
You will be deeply missed by all of us, and your family will always remain in our hearts. In the bonds of phi phi, you will always be with us.
John Rodgers
Zeta Sigma ’00
Traditions Chairman
Good Morning Johnny G.
Johnny,
I miss you so much. There are so many days that I go to pick up the phone to call you. There are so many times that I wand and need your advice or your support. I can’t believe your gone.
You must look down with so much pride over Tina and the kids. Tina is an amazing Mom, and your kids, God are they beautiful. Kathryn is sweet and gentle like her Mom, Kristen is witty like you, and Michael, well, he’s just the smartest little boy ever. He still looks at your picture and says Da Da, he blows out the candle by your picture every night and says Da Da and he points to Heaven and says Da Da. While you were only with him for 10 short months, you certainly left your mark.
I consider myself lucky to have had you for a brother and I am proud to be called your little sister. Thank you for always being there for me.
I love you and miss you every day.
Carolee
Peace
It is an honor to say I was a friend of John’s. The few years we knew each other while working for Piedmont Airlines in Newark, will never be forgotten. From Yankees/Mets bashings between the two of us, to the music of Springsteen and how it touched our lives in and individaul basis. Having our monthly chicken wing cook off between the two of us, and who would make the other cry first because the wings were on fire.
John, you have touch my life in such a way, that word can not explain. God does work in mysterious ways. You will touch the lives of many more people in the years to come.
Just wanted to say hello and let you know I was thinking of you!
I love you