John Edward Lefebvre

John Edward Lefebvre, Retired Lieutenant Commander, age 63, of Norfolk, VA passed away peacefully on November 27, 2022 with his family by his side after a hard-fought 2 1/2 year battle with pancreatic cancer.

John, often referred to as Lefty, was born on January 24, 1959 in Springfield, MA, the fifth and youngest child of Armand and Jean (Varney) Lefebvre. He was predeceased by both parents and step-father George Bergeron.

John grew up in Claremont, NH with a strong influence from his Uncle Leo and Franklin, NH cousins. From a very young age he was into fishing, skiing, and boating. His love of fishing and water would stay with him throughout his life. He graduated from Stevens Highschool, Class of 1977, and enlisted in the Navy in 1978 as an electrician. Following graduation from training, he was assigned to his first ship, the USS Howard Gilmore which would take him on his first assignment to Sardinia, Italy. As a Mustang officer, he went on to have an esteemed 24 year career in the Navy, proudly serving on 5 additional ships, becoming the Chief Engineer of the USS Bridge (AOE-10), and also serving during the Persian Gulf War. He received two Navy Commendation Medals, a Combat Action Ribbon, as well as numerous other awards during his tenure. John became an instructor for the United States Naval Academy before retiring in 2001 as a Lieutenant Commander. Following retirement, John knew he was a man on the move and spent the next 20 years traveling the world as one of the best engineers and seaman that private sector money could buy. He worked for Military Sealift Command, Maersk, and Life Cycle Engineering, eventually completely retiring this past summer of 2022. He spent his last summer enjoying what he loved most, fishing and family.

John is survived by his loving wife of 22 years, Michele Lefebvre; his daughter's family, Meagan and Jason Krueger of Wisconsin; his son's family, Colin Lefebvre and J'Lee Hanson of Wisconsin; his son's family, Brandon Steigerwalt and Joyce Corpin of Virginia; his first wife, Donna Schoeckert of Florida, and his four siblings and their families: Linda and Tim Buzzell and their children, Jason and Adam Rice and Gretchen Adams and Sarah Frazee; Pamela Lefebvre-Parkinson and her daughter Sara Gibbons; Paul and Joan Lefebvre and their children, Benjamin Lefebvre and Mallory Gendron; Susan and Michael Monetta and their children, Michael and Nicholas Monetta. John is also survived by three granddaughters and one grandson; Avery and Emma Krueger, Lucia and soon to be Leopold Lefebvre (Due 3/2023) and several great nieces and nephews with special affection for the four Bear Island girls, Logan and Emily Lefebvre, Hattie and Nora Gendron.

John was many things to many different people; a husband, father, grandpa, brother, fun uncle, loyal friend, best coworker and mentor to name a few. One thing for certain, he was always strong and independent. He took care of everyone around him and always made sure you had a seat at the table. John shared his one-of-a-kind humor, his good story telling, and a big smile with everyone he met. He loved adventure, fishing, camping, bonfires, family and his pets Rogie, Boston, and Lilly. He traveled all over the world but his two favorite destinations were home and Bear Island, NH where he spent quality time with family and friends. Some of the best nights ever spent together were on his back deck or around the dining room table at Bear Island. He always brought so much life and light to the conversation. He will always be remembered and a part of our stories forever.

In lieu of a traditional memorial service, John has requested to "have a big party" which will take place in Norfolk, VA in late January and on Bear Island, Meredith, NH in July 2023. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the local Norfolk Humane Society, which will support the rescue and homing of pets in need of families.