John George Holshek

John George Holshek, 85, of Highland Mills, NY, went home early on the morning of January 23rd, 2024to join his predeceased family– including his father and mother, John Peter and Dorothy Holshek.

Born in The Bronx, NY in 1938, John grew up three blocks away from Yankee Stadium, where he often attended Yankees and Giants games with his brother, George, and later Edward, even spending a few innings in the broadcast booth with Mel Allen, the Yankee game caster. He attended Cardinal Hayes High School, where, in addition to academics, he excelled in football, basketball, boxing, and track and field. In all his team sports, he wore the number 13.

Shortly after graduation, in 1956, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and served overseas as a weather specialist in England, where he met Audrey May Green and were married before his return to Highland Mills. They had three children, Sheree Ann, Christopher John, and Susan Carol.

After his honorable discharge from the Air Force, John worked for the State of New York as a carpenter attending to the State parks in Harriman and Bear Mountain.During those years, he also worked part-time at nearby Falkirk Hospital, was an active member of the Central Valley Fire Company and the Knights of Columbus, bowled, played charity baseball or softball, and umpired well beyond his playing years.

As a result of a series of work accidents, he received a medical retirement from New York State and attended Orange County Community College to become a certified electronmicroscopist, later performing medical research in with the Nemours Foundation in Staten Island and Alfred I. DuPont in Wilmington, DE, after which he retired in 1998 and returned to live in Sullivan and Orange Counties, teaching senior defensive driving courses andparticipating in other senior center activities, playing golf, and spending time with his family.

Affable, easy-going, and with a relentless sense of humor, John was later able to join the American Legion as a Cold War veteran, with Post 1573 in Harriman, NY, where his son and cousin, George Peck are also posted. Of all the things he did, he was most proud of his service to his country.

His ex-wife, Audrey predeceased him in May of 2020 at Valley View Center for Nursing Care & Rehabilitation in Goshen, NY, where they both spent their final years. The family extends profound gratitude to the staff of Valley View for their compassionate care of both Audrey and John.

In addition to brothers George (whose wife, Shirley, precedes) and Edward (whose wife, Anne precedes, John’s three children survive him – Sheree VanDeBogart of Chester, NY, a retired Registered Nurse, and husband, Erle; Christopher Holshek, Colonel, U.S. Army (Ret.), of New Windsor, and wife, Rosa Zorzo; and, Susan Holshek-Smith, Public School Secretary in Clark, NJ, and husband, William. Four grandchildren also survive him– Amanda (and fiancé Fred Velez) and Marjorie VanDeBogart and Dominique and Gabriella Smith, as well as three great-grandchildren, Jillian and Thomas Mann, and Jameson Van De Bogart, along with many nieces, nephews, and grand-nieces-and-nephews.

In keeping with John’s wishes, there will be a simple service held [at 11:30 on Saturday, March 2nd] to inter his cremains at his parents’ gravesite at St. Anastasia’s Cemetery in Harriman, NY, arranged by Flynn Funeral & Cremation Memorial Centers, Inc.

In lieu of flowers and cards, the family asks you to contribute to Save the Children, UNICEF, or St. Jude’s Hospital in remembrance of his great love of children.

 Cremation care by Brendan and Thomas Flynn at Oxford Hills Crematory and Funeral Service was provided by the Flynn Family and the staff of Flynn Funeral & Cremation Memorial Centers.