John Wilson Wayte Jr.

John Wilson Wayte Jr., 84, of Keyport, NJ, passed away peacefully in his sleep to his eternal home on Monday, March 20, 2023, at Bayshore Medical Center in Holmdel, NJ.
John was born January 22, 1939 to John Sr., and Elizabeth Wayte in Newark, NJ. He worked as a chemical operator for the last 28 years of his career at International Flavors & Fragrances in Union Beach, NJ, and earlier in that capacity at National Lead in South Amboy, NJ. On April 27, 1963, John married Lila Behr, of Union Beach. They resided there for 39 years before moving to Meshoppen, PA., and settled in Keyport, NJ in 2010.
A loving husband, father and son, John was widely known for his passion for singing and playing guitar, and for artistic gifts including pencil-sketched portraits and bursting pastels that brought to life a variety of images and decorated scenes, and he also dabbled in woodworking.
His favorite pastimes included bowling at Brunswick Zone in nearby Hazlet, where he could be found enjoying a Yuengling during a game at his Tuesday night league. While wearing his trusted United States Air Force cap, John could be found walking his dog, Annabelle - whom he
called Annie - and watching Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune with his cat, Mooch. Together, John, Annie, and Mooch, would tend to his hand-crafted fish pond that served as the center of John and Lila's beautiful garden. John, a devout congregant of Calvary United Methodist Church in Keyport, was preceded in death by his father, John Wilson Wayte, Sr., his mother, Elizabeth Little Wayte, and his two brothers, William and Robert Wayte.
John is survived by his wife Lila, of 60 years; two daughters, Melissa Strelsky and her husbandFelix, and Lisa Snyder and her partner, Kevin Price. He is also survived by two brothers, George Wayte and his wife Ann, and Donald Wayte and his wife Rose, and three sisters: Elizabeth
(Betty) Cona, Diana Wade, and Judy Hicks and her husband Randy; his grandson, Zachary Snyder and his fiancé Samantha Campi. John also has three granddaughters, Christiana Chamberlin and her husband Timothy, Amanda Snyder, and Hallie Strelsky.
A Memorial Service and gathering will be held at Calvary United Methodist Church, in Keyport, NJ, on May 20, 2023, at 2pm. In recognition of John's 4-years of service in the Air Force, please consider making a donation in his honor to an organization that he was passionate about: The Disabled American Veterans organization - https://www.dav.org/.
Private Cremation was under the direction of Bedle Funeral Home at the Jersey Memorial Crematory.
Online condolences can be given at www.bedlefuneralhome.com