John Kanca Jr.

KANCA John Kanca Jr., age 81 of Fairfield, a retired industrial engineer for the Gilbert & Bennett Manufacturing Company of Georgetown, passed away on Saturday, December 24, 2005, at St. Vincent's Medical Center, following a long illness. Born in Czechoslovakia, he immigrated to the United States at the age of five, and had been a Fairfield resident since 1958. Mr. Kanca proudly served in the U.S. Army Artillery during World War II in Europe achieving the rank of captain, and was a member of the American Legion Post # 143 for many years. Following the War, he attended the University of Bridgeport graduating with a BS degree in Engineering. Earlier in his career he worked for the Olin-Matheson, Winchester Division and the Waterbury Press Metals Company. A very civic-minded citizen, Mr. Kanca served as the president of the Fairfield Taxpayers Association. He was a member for many years of St. John the Baptist Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Church, where he loved singing in the church choir. He was a member of the Germania-Schwaben Club and the Harugari Social Club. Mr. Kanca was an extremely talented and bright man, he was fluent in seven languages, could play the Piano, Violin, Clarinet and Accordion, and held a private pilots license. He authored, and saw published, a science fiction book entitled, "In Our Own Back Yard". He will be remembered as a loving and dedicated family man who enjoyed his life to the fullest. Survivors include his beloved wife of 58 years, Julianne (Terdy) Kanca of Fairfield; four loving children, Roswitha Cusick and her husband, Joseph, of Middlebury, Dr. John Kanca, III and his wife Janet of Middlebury, Diane Kanca-Dwyer and her husband, Robert, of Rye, N.Y., and Cherylanne Sarno and her husband, John, of Glen Rock, N.J. Mr. Kanca was predeceased by two brothers, Richard Kanca and Stephen Kanca, and is survived by four sisters, Mary, Anne, Betty and Joan. He also has seven grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. A funeral liturgy will be held on Wednesday, December 28, 2005 at 10 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Church 364 Mill Hill Ave., Bridgeport. Interment with military honors will follow in Lawncroft Cemetery, Fairfield. Friends may call on Tuesday, December 27, 2005 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. in the Spear-Miller Funeral Home, 39 South Benson Road, Fairfield. Panachida service will be at 7 p.m. If desired contributions in memory of Mr. Kanca can be made to St. John the Baptist Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Church. To offer an online condolence visit www. spearmillerfuneralhome.com.