John A. Sciarra

John Anthony Sciarra was born on April 18, 1935 and was raised in Cliffside Park, NJ with his loving parents John, Lena, and beloved brother, Tony. He was brought up in a large and loving Italian family, with many cousins who were like siblings to him. He graduated from Cliffside Park High School and was a first generation college graduate of Rutgers University. He was fondly known as “Chip” or “Chippy” by his family, a tribute to his resemblance to his father. 

 John worked as a credit manager, accountant, and controller for over 20 years at Federal Pacific Electric where he was a skilled negotiator and problem solver. He often partnered closely with distributors and customers alike to resolve issues. He leveraged those same professional skills to negotiate car purchases that often left dealers welcoming his exit.

 John fell in love with his beloved wife, Judith DeAngelo, of Philadelphia PA, at first sight when she served him a cup of coffee. That must have been some cup of coffee because they remained married for 55 years! 

 Judy was the love of his life, and home for John was wherever she was. John was, to his core, a family man. He loved his daughters and showed up for them in ways large and small. He was never happier than when surrounded by family for loud dinners, multi-course Italian meals, nights out with his cousins, touch football games on the beach, or just about any activity that involved family, food, and a fair amount of ribbing directed at anyone in particular, including himself. 

 Despite a somewhat curmudgeonly exterior, John had a huge heart. His begrudging acceptance of the addition of two small kittens to the family belied a love of animals that was visibly evident in the way he cared for them and the strong bond he formed with them.

 John had a lifelong love of athletics whether he was playing or watching. In high school, he played football, basketball, and baseball. Above all, he considered himself a football player. John was an avid New York sports fan cheering on his beloved Giants every Sunday, along with the Mets, Rangers, and Knicks. He happily taught his daughters about football and baseball, patiently answering their many questions.

 John proudly watched his daughters as they competed in a multitude of sports, never hesitating to travel great distances to watch their games. As competitive as he was, it did not translate to the play of his daughters or grandchildren. He was always supportive and content to enjoy the games regardless of their outcomes.

 John had a deep love of music. He also had the natural ability to play any tune on the piano by ear. He was an excellent clarinet player and a smooth dancer. He enjoyed many types of music, always played loud. He recently participated in a choral performance at his retirement community proudly singing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” to great applause. 

 John was an avid learner who taught himself how to fix just about anything and never missed an opportunity to learn something from his father or the electricians who surrounded him at work. He was often called upon to help with cars and household projects, arriving just-in-time with his tools at the ready. He was a talented chef and enjoyed preparing his self-declared “world-famous dishes.”

 Our memories with John will be cherished forever. He is survived by his wife Judy, three daughters Gina (Jay, deceased) Haas, Jana (Beau) Bradley, and Amanda (Brian) Sciarra-McCaffrey, and 8 grandchildren Lily, Ronan, Delaney, Sophia, Juliana, Kylie, Emma, and Margot.

 A visitation will be held Wednesday, September 4th, 9:30 am at St. Rose of Lima Church, 424 S. Main St., North Wales, PA 19454. Funeral Mass 11:00 am. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. stjude.org