John Paul Veracka

FORT MYERS, Fla. - John Paul Veracka, 79, of Osterville and Fort Myers, Fla., passed away on Feb. 4, 2010, at Hope Hospice in Fort Myers, Fla.

John was a graduate of Maynard High School and served in the US Air Force. He retired from Raytheon Company after 37 years.

He was a freelance golf writer and wrote sports articles for the Cape Cod Times and the Marlboro Enterprise newspapers. He was a lifetime member of the American Legions, VFW and the Golf Writers Association. An avid golfer, John was a member of the Gulf Harbour Golf Club in Ft. Myers, Fla., and Old Barnstable Fairgounds Golf Club in Cape Cod. He was also former member of Dennis Pines Golf Club and the Marlboro Country Club. At Dennis Pines, John teamed up with club pro Jay Haberl to organize and run the Youth Golf Clinic where young stars such as Sally Quinlan, Jim Hallet, Steve Donnelly, Jeff Babineau, and Kevin and Mike Haberl got their starts.

Born on September 19, 1930, in Concord, Mass., to the late Frank Veracka and the former Marion Budris, John is survived by his wife Pat Veracka, sons Adam and Michael Veracka of Annapolis, Md., and daughter Joanne Chaput of Portland, Ore. His sister Marion Dwinells lives in Hudson, Mass., and his late brother Frank lived in Stow, Mass. He had a sister-in-law, Priscilla Veracka, two grandsons, Paul and Jon Veracka, who live in Annapolis, and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral Service will be on Tuesday, Feb. 9 at 10 a.m. at St. Columbkille Catholic Church, 12171 Iona Road, Ft. Myers. Celebration of Life will follow at Gulf Harbour Club House. Burial will be held later this summer at Massachusetts National Cemetery in Cape Cod.

In lieu of flowers the family asks that anyone wishing to make a contribution in John's memory can do so to:

Gulf Harbour Memorial Foundation

14501 Ocean Bluff Dr.

Ft. Myers, FL 33908

or

Hope Hospice

9470 Health Park Circle

Ft. Myers, FL 33908