John Malinak Jr.

John Malinak Jr., age 89 of Branford, entered peacefully into eternal rest on September 23rd, 2025. Born in Stamford on January 28th, 1936, he was the son of the late John Malinak Sr. and Anna Garbera. Mr. Malinak was raised in Ansonia. He attended Ansonia High School. He attended St. Basil's College and Fairfield University. He earned his bachelor's degree and later went on to earn two master's degrees in education and business. He started his career at Jonathan Law High School in Milford as an English teacher for ten years. He later taught at Bassick High School in Bridgeport as a Latin and Spanish teacher for thirty years. He was loved greatly by his students and made a great impact on them. Later in life, in his retirement, he was a homebound teacher and tutored for Stratford High School and Frank Scott Bunnell High School.
He will be remembered as a wonderful husband, father, brother, grandfather, teacher, and friend to many. He left a lasting impact on his daughters and granddaughters, instilling in them a love of reading, writing, languages, and education. Above all, he left a lasting legacy of faith in the lives of his daughters and granddaughters, as faith and family were the cornerstones of his life. He was the most generous and kind man with a gentle spirit. He made friends with everyone he met, and he was always there to lend a helping hand to his family and strangers. He had a strong faith. He loved his traditions and attending mass at his Byzantine Ukrainian Catholic Church. He loved the functions and fellowship he found there. He truly modeled the life of a follower of Jesus and lived out his faith in Jesus through love and service. He was a proud Ukrainian, and he was very fond of his heritage. He had a love for languages and spoke fluent English, Ukrainian, Spanish, and Latin. He was truly brilliant, but will be remembered most for his kind heart and spirit.
In his spare time, he loved reading, writing, swimming, and spending quality time with his family. He hosted beautiful holiday celebrations at his home in Stratford with his wife, Mary Lou, and their family. He loved his dogs, especially Sammy, his chow chow. He enjoyed going on trips to Vermont with his family and to the beach.
He is predeceased by his loving wife, Mary Lou Malinak, his truly beloved soulmate of sixty-one years. We now know their love is reunited in eternity. He is also predeceased by his devoted daughter, Mary Ann Malinak. He is survived by his devoted daughter, Joan Malinak-Kardos of Naugatuck; his loving son-in-law, Terence Kardos of Naugatuck; his loving sister, Anne Malinak of Beacon Falls; as well as cherished granddaughters, Rebecca and Theresa Kardos of Naugatuck.
Funeral Services will be private. The Wakelee Memorial Funeral Home, 167 Wakelee Avenue is in care of arrangements. Online condolences may be made at www.wakeleememorial.com.