John M. Gaykowski

John M. Gaykowski

Mr. John M. Gaykowski, 85, died Sunday, October 1, 2017 in the Center for Hope Hospice Peggy Coloney House in Scotch Plains, New Jersey.

Visitation will take place in the Kowalski Funeral Home, 515 Roselle St., Linden, on Thursday, October 5^th, from 2:00 – 4:00PM and 6:00 – 9:00PM.  On Friday, October 6^th.  at 9:00AM, family and friends are asked to gather in the funeral home where a prayer service will be held at 9:30AM, followed by the funeral mass to be offered in St. Agnes Parish in Clark at 11:00AM.  Burial will take place in the family plot in St. Mary Cemetery in Clark.

Mr. Gaykowski, the son of the late Mary Hondo Gaykowski and the late John Gaykowski, was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey.  He lived in Linden, New Jersey for a while before moving to Cranford, New Jersey, where he resided from 1956 to 1964. In 1964, he settled in Maplewood, New Jersey, where he has lived until the time of his death.

Mr. Gaykowski was an electrician, employed for forty years by the IBEW Union Local #675, Elizabeth, until his retirement in 1994.

He was a veteran of the Korean War, serving in the U.S. Navy as a Boatswain’s Mate Third Class. 

Mr. Gaykowski’s memberships include the IBEW Local #675 in Elizabeth, the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, the Essex County Chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, where he also served as a past board of director’s member and a past-president.  He was also very active in Operation Santa for his local National Alliance for the Mentally Ill.  Mr. Gaykowski was a lector and involved participant in all the volunteer efforts for the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Maplewood, New Jersey and the Good Shepherd Parish in Irvington, New Jersey.  In his earlier years, he was involved with the Boy Scouts of America for over ten years and was a past leader for the Boy Scouts Troop #62 in Maplewood, New Jersey.

Mr. Gaykowski was predeceased by his two wives, Lucille Stellitano Gaykowski on July 5, 1962 and Claire Pangiochi Gaykowski on April 1, 2011.

Mr. Gaykowski is survived by his children, LuAnne G. Kozma and her husband, Ellis Boal, Michael J. Gaykowski, Thomas J. Gaykowski, and Paul M. Gaykowski and his wife, Jennifer Spiegler; his sister, Doris Gamache; his stepchildren, Donna Romeo and her husband, Louis , James Pangiochi, Joseph Pangiochi and his wife, Eunice, Stephen Pangiochi, and his grandchildren, Michael J. Gaykowski Jr., Gregory S. Kozma, Natalie Kozma, Michelle L. Gaykowski, Michael Romeo, Louis Romeo, James Romeo, Victoria Pangiochi and Nicole Pangiochi.

In lieu of flowers, donations for his mentally ill son, Thomas J. Gaykowski can be made via https://www.gofundme.com/fund-for-tom-gaykowski\

Following the committal service and burial, the family would like to invite everyone to join them on Friday at 1:30PM for a repast luncheon to be held at the Galloping Hill Inn, 325 Chestnut St., Union, NJ 07093 (at 5 points) 908-686-2683.

 Service Information