John was born in Hielwood, Pennsylvania, to the late Stephan and Mary (Litavish) Sackie. He began helping to provide for his large family at a young age by working in the Pennsylvania coal mines and then for the local railroad. This work was an early expression of his great passion for understanding the mechanics of how things were built and how they functioned and created a foundation for his future accomplishments.
John met his beloved wife, Flossie, in 1954 and knew it was love at first sight. They married later that year, and John was a devoted husband for 67 glorious years. He took pride in being a provider and thoughtful decision maker for his family. He was a man of great character and believed in the virtue of a job well done, which he instilled in each generation of his family. John practiced his Catholic faith daily through prayers, reading the Bible, and as a loyal member of his church congregation. John and Flossie were members of St. Anne Catholic Church in Columbus for 59 years, and he continued to participate in mass after he could no longer physically attend by watching the live stream and taking Communion at home.
John was a veteran of the United States Army. He enlisted at the age of 18 at the end of World War II, and immediately served in Germany. He served in the Vietnam War, completing two tours. In his last assignment, he served as an instructor of helicopter mechanics at the 2nd School of U.S. Army Aviation at Fort Rucker, AL. He retired in 1969, after 22 years of military service. Throughout his service, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Good Conduct Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, World War II Victory Ribbon, Army of Occupation Medal, National Defense Service Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Vietnam), Vietnam Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with four Over Seas Service Bars, Senior Aircraft Crewman Badge, Basic Parachutist Badge, 11th Airborne Assault Badge, and 82nd Airborne Division Combat Service Identification Badge.
After his military retirement, John worked as a mechanic and as an instructor of electronics. He was particularly proud of his work as an instructor of electronics at Jack Rutledge State Prison. His hobbies included gardening, winning weekly family card games, building heirloom clocks, and tinkering with projects around the house.
In his final years, John was grateful for loving, capable, and compassionate caregivers, and the opportunity to stay at home with his wife, Flossie.
In addition to his parents, John was preceded in death by his loving wife Flossie; brothers Albert, Stephen, and Robert Sackie, sister Barbara Kwasnicki; his son, John W. Sackie Jr; and son-in-law, Charlie Proctor III.
He is survived by a brother, Fred Sackie; sisters Dorothy Sackie, Margaret Sackie, and Patricia Blankenship; children Michael Sackie (Jackie), Teresa Proctor, Timothy Sackie (Linda), and Catherine Eckstein (William), ten grandchildren, and eleven great-grandchildren, whom he adored.
A Rosary is scheduled on Thursday, March 31, 2022, at 6:30 p.m. at Striffler-Hamby funeral home, and a viewing will follow from 7:00-8:00 p.m. A funeral mass is scheduled for Friday, April 1, 2022, at St. Anne Catholic Church at 12:00 p.m. A military burial service will immediately follow at Fort Mitchell National Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to St. Anne Community Outreach.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.shcolumbus.com for the Sackie family.
