John A. Popeo

John A. Popeo, of Utica, passed away on Friday, June 23, 2023, at the Sitrin Healthcare Center, some 5 months shy of his 100th birthday.  Born in Utica on November 18, 1923, he was a 1942 graduate of Proctor High School and also studied finance at Rider College, Trenton, N.J.

With humility, John was proud of his service as a U.S. Army infantry paratrooper during World War II, serving with the 11th Airborne, 188th Glider Infantry Regiment.  John’s service in the Pacific Theater earned him a Purple Heart and included campaigns in New Guinea, Leyte and Luzon, as well as a surprise raid and rescue at Los Banos of over 2,000 private U.S. citizens held prisoner for over 3 years, without the loss of anyone held captive.

Upon his return from the service, John married Josephine Rasi at St. Agnes Church on September 17, 1949, a loving and blessed union of 51 years until her passing in 2000. While raising his family with love and dedication, he was employed for over 31 years as a Revenue Officer with the Internal Revenue Service, earning the respect of his co-workers and even some of those he collected taxes from.

John had a wonderful, complete and blessed life, filled with a love of God, and also with love and devotion to his wife, Josephine, and their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  His family will forever hold his memory in their hearts.

Surviving are his beloved son, Gerald J. Popeo; his cherished granddaughters Laura Popeo Bernard (Kyle) and Kathleen Popeo Edwards (Nathan) and their mother, Rita Popeo; grandson John W. Popeo (Lisa) and granddaughter Margaret “Maggie” Popeo, and their mother, Helen Popeo.  He is also survived by a daughter, Mary Ellen Attardo (Joseph) and their daughter, Joanna.  John was also blessed with the love of 7 great-grandchildren: Matthew, Michael and Elizabeth Bernard; Nicholas and Andrew Edwards; and Josephine and Genevieve Popeo.  He was predeceased by his son, Daniel J. Popeo, in 2012.

As the surviving child of Donato and Maria DeMichele Popeo, John was predeceased by brothers Angelo Popeo (Marie) and Gerald Popeo, and sisters Carmella Mastrangelo, Angeline Popeo and Gloria DaPrano.  He is also predeceased by members of the Rasi Family: Amadio “John” (Irene), Peter (Rose), Angelo (Mamie) and George (Agnes).

John’s family extends thanks to a dedicated and caring staff of Hickory House at Sitrin Healthcare, especially acknowledging aides Dorene Bach and Taneisha Johnson.

John’s funeral services were held privately at The Scala & Roefaro Funeral Home, Inc., with family friend Deacon Peter Hobaica officiating, and military honors conferred. Private entombment next to his beloved wife, Josephine, was in Calvary Cemetery Mausoleum.