John Paul Karolchyk

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of John Karolchyk; who unexpectedly passed away following surgery on April 14th, 2025 at the age of 87. John was a beloved husband, father, and grandfather. He is survived by his loving wife Patricia, his children Scott and Michael, his grandson Brendan and his daughter in law, Sharon. A graduate of Wilkes University, John used his degree to pursue education. He became an English teacher at Parsippany High School and instructed students for over 40 years. During his time at PHS he was The Chair of the English Department for 5 years. He served as the head and assistant wrestling coach at PHS for over 10 years. He earned "Teacher of The Year" from PHS in 1999 and was inducted into The PHS "Hall of Fame" in 2003. He joined The Parsippany Town Council from 1966 through 1970. He also served over 30 years as a member for the Blairstown Township Board of Education. Education was his passion and characterized his life. Active in the Catholic Church and known for his commitment to faith, John was most recently a parishioner of St. Jude's and St. Luke's Catholic Church. John used his background in education to offer CCD lessons at Our Lady of The Mountain, Long Valley and St. Luke's in Stroudsburg, PA. A die-hard Yankees and Giants Fan; he lit up the room everywhere he went. Those closest to him knew him to crack a fun and heartwarming joke to lighten the mood, helping those around him feel welcome and comfortable. He will be greatly missed and his legacy will be remembered by his family and friends for many years to come. A memorial service will be held on Thursday May 1st from 7pm-9pm at The Iliff-Ruggiero Funeral Home: 156 Main St. (Rt. 206) Newton, NJ 07860.
A Mass in his honor will be held on Friday May 2nd at 10:30am at St Jude Church #7 Eisenhower Rd, Columbia, NJ 07832. In lieu of flowers, donations in his name can be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital: www.stjude.org Arrangements and online condolences through www.iliff-ruggierofuneralhome.com