Mitred Archpriest John Nehrebecki

Mitred Archpriest John Nehrebecki

Mitred Archpriest John Nehrebecki, in his 90th year, ended his earthly sojourn and fell asleep in the Lord on April 7, 2018.

The youngest of 11 children, Father John was born on May 4, 1928 to Michael and Veronica (Korsh) Nehrebecki. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his 10 brothers and sisters, Susanna, Dimitri, Basil, Gregory, Simeon, Mary, Peter, Anna, Paul, and Joseph. Father John graduated from Donora High School in Donora, Pennsylvania in 1946, where he played football and acted in his school plays. Following in his parents' footsteps of faithfulness and doing God's work, he attended St. Tikhon's Theological Seminary, graduating in 1950. Also deciding to pursue his love of learning and education, he continued on to earn his Bachelor's Degree from Davis and Elkins in West Virginia. He earned his Master's Degree from City University of New York, and began his doctoral studies at Columbia University where he served as chaplain. Father John also completed course work at Saint Vladimir's Seminary in Yonkers, New York and Fordham University, in the Bronx, New York.

Father John spent over 65 years with his loving wife, Eugenia "Gencha," daughter of Archpriest Elias and Euphrosinia (Trembach) Yankovsky. They met as young children in her aunt and uncle's grocery store, where he gave her the prize from his Cracker Jack box—a fact they only discovered when they returned to the store after they were crowned in marriage on May 22, 1952 at Holy Resurrection Church in West Brownsville, Pennsylvania. Together, their marriage brought about the start of their "little kingdom." They had six children, Vladimir (Elena), Mariam (V. Rev. David Vernak), Tatiana (Louis Evangelista), Olga (the late V. Rev. Dr. David Alexander Atty), Anastasia (Mark Jacobs) and Theodora (Richard Gramkow).

Papa John and Baba Eugenia share 20 grandchildren—Matthew (Kimberly), Christopher (Charlene), Jonathan (Stephanie), Fr. Stephen (Anna), Anastasia (Fr. Victor), Christina (Marc), Michael (Leslie), Alexandra (Patrick), John (Cassie), Justin (Stephanie), Stephen (Amanda), Katherine (Nicholas), Jason, Melanie, John, Alexander, Alexander, Juliana, Joseph and Diana—and have also been blessed to have seen 29 great grandchildren—Timothy, Larissa, Ava, Nicholas, Mary, Catherine, Sophia, Zoe, Jacob, Grace, Elizabeth, Katherine, Alexander, Cassiana, Matthew, Mark, Michael, Laila, Faith, Viviana, Josephine, Christian, Gabriel, Anna, Nina, Penelope, Basil, Bridgette, and Luke.

Father John was ordained into the Holy Priesthood on July 4, 1952 by Archbishop Dimitri (Magan) in Lynn, Massachusetts. His first parish assignment was St. Mary Orthodox Church in Osceola Mills, Pennsylvania. The next year, he was appointed rector of Three Saints Church in Garfield, New Jersey. In 1960, he organized and founded Christ the Saviour Orthodox Church in Paramus, New Jersey, where he faithfully served his God-given flock until his retirement in 2003, and served as Pastor Emeritus until his repose. Throughout his nearly 66 years of priesthood, Father John also served for 40 years as a peer-elected Dean of the New Jersey Deanery, and organized 10 additional parishes in the area. In 1970, he was among those chosen to travel to Moscow to receive the Tomos of Autocephaly granted to the Orthodox Church in America by the Russian Orthodox Church. In 2017, he was granted the dignity of wearing the Mitre by the Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America.

Services and visitation will be held at Christ the Saviour Orthodox Church, 365 Paramus Road, Paramus, New Jersey. On Monday, April 9, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. Vespers and Paschal Panikhida will be served. On Tuesday, April 10, 2018, visitation will be from 12:00 to 7:00 p.m. with a Paschal Funeral service beginning at 7:00 p.m. On Wednesday, April 11, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy will be celebrated. The interment will follow at 4:00 p.m. at St. Tikhon's Monastery and Cemetery in South Canaan, Pennsylvania.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Father John's memory to Christ the Saviour Orthodox Church, 365 Paramus Road, Paramus, New Jersey 07652.

Arrangements by Becker Funeral Home, Westwood, NJ. Becker-funeralhome.com