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John Savant Obituary
October 2, 1930-December 8, 2018
We celebrate the life of John Joseph Savant, whose love, intelligence, wit, kindness, joy of learning, ability in sports, gifts as teacher, writer, and poet, compassion as husband and father, encouraged thousands of students, friends, and especially his family."Johnny," Jack, John, Professor Savant, Dad, Grandpa, Poppa deeply enjoyed marriage, children, grandchildren, nephews, nieces, sports, music, comradery, discussion groups, more sports, manual labor, drawing, and a steady search for God. He married two wonderful women in his lifetime-- Olivia, for 40 years, before her death in 2005; and later, Carol Anne, for the past 8 years. His kindness and love, contagious-a love extended not just to Olivia and Carol Anne, daughter, Stephanie (sp. Sean) and son, John-Paul (sp. Samantha), but also to Grandchildren John Alanson, Leila, Julian, Colin, and Ben, his "double" nephews and niece Dominic, Mark, Eric, Anna, Bernard, their spouses Deanna, Angelica, Dia, and Anja, their children, Elsa, Nathan, Matteo, Pascal, Etienne, Vivienne, Svea, to siblings Mary Anne, Bernard, Jeanette, Barbara, and Victor, and many more nieces, nephews and cousins including Miya, Jaymi, Alison, David, Vicki, Michelle, Annette, Angie, and Claudine.
Raised in the Richmond District, he attended St. Monica's Grammar School and later, St. Ignatius High School on Stanyan Street. He left SI and studied at St. Patrick's Seminary, continuing to St. Joseph's Seminary College. Deciding not to become a priest, he left the seminary, married Olivia in 1965, and lived in Marin for 50+ years. A teacher for 43 years, John taught the last 30+ at Dominican University in San Rafael, lecturing in English Literature and the Classics. He worked with the St. Vincent de Paul Society, wrote petitions for Hispanic immigrants seeking asylum, and met with friends for breakfast to talk sports, religion, and politics. In 2010, he married Carol Anne and together, spent many hours with his daughter's family nearby, attending his grandsons' events, and enjoying the many family trips to Lake Tahoe. He travelled often to London to visit his son's family and play with more grandchildren. But more than anything, he wrote. And wrote. And then wrote more. A humble poet, athlete, teacher, husband, father, grandfather, friend--his legacy of kindness and compassion lives on now in his family and friends.
Funeral Mass for John J. Savant will be at 11 AM on Monday, December 17, 2018 at St. Columba Catholic Church (6401 San Pablo Avenue, Oakland, CA 94608). In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the St. Columba Scholarship Fund, helping the under-privileged youth of Oakland receive university-level education. On memo line, please indicate "John Savant: Scholarship Fund."
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for John Savant
Nancy Wallace
May 31, 2023
I just found out about Mr. Savant´s passing. My deepest condolences to his family. I grew up in a very small town called Loleta in Northern California. Mr. Savant was a teacher there, it was in the 1950´s. I did not have him as a teacher but the school was small and all the students knew all the teachers. I was in the 3rd grade at that time. Years later I married, moved to San Rafael and our oldest son entered school. Our youngest son entered pre-school. I was one of three mothers that started a car pool to the pre-school across town. I did not know the other mothers until that time. One of the two other boys in the carpool had the last name of Savant. After some time I asked his mom if he could be related to the John Savant that I so fondly remembered, and I was told John Savant was his father. It is so strange what a small world we live in. God bless!
Jean Nelson
December 5, 2022
John was my teacher in college --my favorite.
One quote he shared I to which I often refer: We may not know the answers, but we can trust in the answerer. What a wonderful loving man. I'm grateful to the many ways we shared time while he was with us.
Heidi Esmeralda Peratoner
March 19, 2022
As the days and weeks pass, and as you return to life's routine, may you continue to feel comforted by the love and support of family and friends. I met John In 1991 upon entering Dominican College now known as Dominican University. I attended each English class he taught and enjoyed each of his lectures. He was also my adviser. He inspired me to write poetry and children´s stories. He encouraged to be the best I could do in writing. He was sweet, kind and funny. I will always cherish the memories I have of him as a teacher and a fellow poet/writer.
Rose Banks
March 21, 2019
I was sorry to recently read in The Torch about John Savant's passing. Professor Savant was my poetry professor, thesis advisor, and the advisor for Domincan's literary magazine during the time I served as one of its editors. He had an immensely positive impact on my experience at Dominican College (Class of 1995). It was John Savant who encouraged me to explore poetry and public reading. But mostly, Professor Savant taught us all how impactful just a few strung together words can be.
Ann Huseman
January 14, 2019
To Carol Anne and John's family, John was a great man, I knew him as a fellow parishioner at St Raphael's Church. He gave Lenten reflections on Good Friday that were inspiring, full-bodied and challenging! I am sorry to hear about his passing. My heart goes out to John's family.
Jean Nelson
December 27, 2018
Mr. Savant was my favorite professor at Dominican.
Although in later years when we'd meet he told me to call him "John" I found it hard to do so, but I did, as I held him with so
much love and respect. His faith, his humor, his amazing use of
the English language remain with me. He demonstrated so much love and devotion to his family to whom I offer my most
heartfelt condolences. I too will miss him.
December 20, 2018
I hold fond academic memories of Dr. Savant. He was my English teacher Fresman year at Dominican College. He was indeed passionate about the classics and poetry. My thoughts and prayers are with all his family, including nephew Mark Savant whom I taught at St. Monica's.
Susan Cecconi Jacoli
Gene Girimonte
December 17, 2018
When my late husband and I became neighbors of the Savant family many years ago, John, in his gracious and welcoming manner, made us feel instantly at home. My heartfelt condolences to Carol Anne, Stephanie, John-Paul, and your entire family. I will miss our many sidewalk chats that always went way beyond idle chatter! I regret being unable to attend today's Mass, as I am still recovering from shoulder surgery. Love,Gene
James Torrens, S.J.
December 17, 2018
John and I were together in a home room as freshmen in High School. Much later we reconnected as fast friends and fellow poets. Perhaps I smoothed the way for John into his frequent appearances in America magazine. Bless you, my friend.
Robin Keating
December 15, 2018
When John recited a poem (or read the phonebook) it was easy to become enchanted by his resonant, melodic voice. I can hear it today as clearly as I did all those years ago as one of his very fortunate students. He was a remarkable man who will be missed by so many.
Janet Giddings
December 14, 2018
I will echo what has been shared here, that John was a great teacher. That is a lot for one life time.
On top of his generosity, knowledge, and intellectual curiosity, he was a great husband and father. I was able to be at his first wife's funeral years ago and saw the love in that family and I have always remembered it.
My condolences to his wife and children. Know he inspired me, as I am a teacher now for 19 years. I can only hope I am half the teacher he was.
Natasha Yim-Carter
December 14, 2018
A wonderful, generous man, so kind and considerate to a student 13,000 miles from home. He was my faculty advisor and I took many classes from him. I remember his wonderful reading voice when he recited his poetry and he encouraged me and inspired me to be the writer I am today.
Ron Wheatley
December 14, 2018
I loved John...as a grad student, coach, admissions counselor, and alumnus, I constantly came in contact with John over the years. He was smart, funny, warm, always friendly and kind, and his depth of character always was present. All of us who rubbed elbows with John, who were taught by him, who simply were friends with him, have had their lives touched and enriched by knowing this wonderful human being.
Ron Wheatley '78
Peggy (Glockner) Hartshorn
December 14, 2018
Unfortunately, I never had John Savant as a professor at Dominican College when I was a student there -- I graduated in 1969 and John was a new, young lecturer at that time and did not teach the classes I was in as an English major! However, I admired him greatly, more and more through the years, as I understood his deep and abiding Catholic faith and spirituality that so enriched all that he did. At the time in Dominican's history when he joined the faculty and when I was "formed" there, Dominican had as its mission the "search for truth" and it was imbued with the Catholic understanding that faith and reason do not contradict one another. John was the perfect embodiment of the quest to appreciate that truth as fully as possible. He is one of my heroes. I am saddened by his passing from this world, but also thrilled that he is now enjoying his eternal reward.
Peggy Treiber
December 14, 2018
Ah, John...lots of memories of your class back in 1968, but what i remember most of all is you telling us that teachers need to be dancing bears to best communicate with ALL of the students. Your enthusiasm and way with words have stayed with me all these decades.
Sharon Rose
December 14, 2018
Mr. Savant uttered the most unforgettable words of encouragement I ever heard as a young student. I was a terrified freshman and he told me my writing had a potential for brilliance...in front of the whole class. I still remember the warmth of the little glow I felt inside. I hope the thank you isn't too tardy.
Peter anderson
December 13, 2018
My heartfelt condolences to John's family and many friends. When I wrote a daily column for the Marin daily in the late 80's, I saw his name in print one day, and was captivated that someone named "John Savant" was a professor at Dominican. It seemed too perfect, so I had to investigate to see if it was true. I made an appointment, then went to see him in his office, which was a roundhouse hut in the middle of the university's gorgeous forest, sunlight piercing through the leaves and limbs. I entered his office, and felt like I was inside a scholar's idyllic place of study. It gets better. Turns out we had attended the same Catholic seminaries --St. Joe's in Mt. View and St. Pat's in Menlo Park, several years apart -- so we had much in common to discuss -- mutual friends, eccentric professors, and great stories that had us doubled over in laughter. It was one of those priceless moments of spontaneity and synchronicity, and when I commented to him that his surroundings reminded me of Walden's Pond, he said, "That's what I was going for, except the pond hasn't arrived yet!" I wrote an entire column about my experience with him in the next day's paper, and, in all my years of journalism, it remains one of my most favorite pieces. It was our first and only meeting, yet I was struck by John's zest for life, his boundless curiosity, and his brilliance with words. I know his absence has left a huge hole in his family's heart, but I trust they know how fortunate they were to have enjoyed the company of such a fine man for so many years. God bless John Savant and God bless us all.
Michele Barton
December 13, 2018
I will always remember Mr. Savant as one of my very favorite professors. His passion for English Literature was truly inspiring. I loved every minute spent in his class. He was a gifted teacher.
Kathryn Carpenter Totah
December 13, 2018
I was fortunate to have Mr. Savant as a teacher many years ago at Dominican and my life was enriched by knowing him. His was a beautiful example of a life well led. My condolences to his family.
Pamela Thompson
December 12, 2018
John was a great teacher at Dominican University, then Dominican College, when I was his student. May he rest in peace, after such a full and wonderful life.
Pamela Farley Thompson,
Class of 1974
Cindy Baker-Stockly
December 12, 2018
Mr.Savant was my Latin teacher at St, Bernards High School in Eureka. He was a wonderful teacher, It was my favorite class,, because of him. I am so glad that he had the wonderful life that he deserved..rest in peace.
Cathy Reardon Busch
December 12, 2018
Sorry to hear of you loss. Mr Savant was one of my favorite teachers at Dominican. I can still hear him reading lines of poetry to us in class and rejoicing at the birth of his son John
Lisa Bordley Boland
December 12, 2018
So sorry for your loss. Your dad was an amazing teacher.
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