John Vincent Pignataro

John Vincent Pignataro of Babcock Ranch, Florida, peacefully passed away on July 30th, 2025, after a long illness, with the love of his life at his side. In 2018, John and Rhonda followed their dream and moved from Delaware to Southwest Florida to embrace life on the beautiful Gulf Coast.

John was born on August 14, 1961, in Washington, D.C., to the late Joseph and Carol Pignataro. He was the mischievous middle child of the Pignataro clan. He was educated in Montgomery County Public Schools, graduating from Paint Branch High School in Burtonsville, MD, in 1979.

John’s passion was public service. As a teenager, he began volunteering for the Burtonsville Fire Department in 1977, ultimately becoming Fire Chief in 1989. After high school, he began his career as a paid fireman, working for Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue before landing his dream job with the D.C. Fire Department in 1982. He served with distinction for 29 years, 4 months, and 16 days, retiring in 2011 at the rank of Lieutenant.

John and Rhonda shared a love of cruising, recently completing their 17th voyage. Most notably, in 2024, they celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary on a cruise through Italy and Spain. Growing up in the Washington, D.C. area, John became an avid Washington Redskins fan—a passion he proudly passed on to his son. At home, along with his bride, John was always accompanied by his beloved cats, most notably Guido.

John was a devoted husband to his loving wife of 41 years, Rhonda Pignataro, and a proud father to his children, John “Tony” (Alisa) Pignataro and Jennifer Pignataro. He was a doting Nonno to his cherished granddaughter, Gabriella Pignataro, whose smile and laughter brightened his days.

He is also survived by his siblings: Dino (Kathleen) Pignataro, Tina (Mark) Beland, Gina (Eric) Buscher, Nina Crist, Victoria Carpenter, Michelle (Jessie) Clancey, and Melissa (Jonathan) Boxx; one sister-in-law, Debbie (Larry) Dukes; and many nieces, nephews, close family members, and friends.

John was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Carol Pignataro; grandparents; in-laws, Jim and Joan Mayben; brother-in-law, John Crist; niece, Nicole Miller; and nephew, Emiliano Alvarado.

A Celebration of Life for John will be held from 12pm to 4pm on August 23, 2025, at Sunseeker Resort in Port Charlotte. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the DC Firefighters Burn Foundation and HEROES, Inc.; two non-profits that serve the needs of the firemen in Washington DC.

https://heroes.org/