After reading some of the memories posted, I am led to believe that John may have been my childhood friend and classmate at St. James Catholic School in Falls Church, Virginia. I am saddened by his passing and wish we had made a connection while he was here in Hawaii. A few years back I coincidentally saw his name in a Maui phonebook. When I called the number, the lady who answered said she was issued the new phone number. I had missed the opportunity to speak with my old friend Bab-O, who introduced me to the game of soccer. I tried searching for him later in life and was so disappointed to learn of his passing and the fact that he lived in Honolulu. A place where I was born, raised , and still visit, whenever I leave Molokai. My condolences to his family can barely speak of my shared sadness and to have missed the connection I had hoped to make with him. Aloha oe old friend. Until we meet again.

Johnny was my Father’s nephew, but they were only about 10 years apart.  I would see him when he visited NJ when I was growing up.  I’ll never forget watching Johnny, my Dad and Uncle Jim, my Dad’s brother, joke around and needle each other endlessly.  I learned what good natured kidding with loved ones was all about.    Johnny  seemed to never age.  I visited him in Maui in the 90s, when he lived with Mike Miller. I hadn’t seen him for years, but you wouldn’t know it.  He picked me up at the airport and the laughs never stopped.   The first trip was 10 days, the next year I stayed for 5 weeks.  Johnny loved diving and convinced me to get PADI certified my second trip.   The second trip I also wanted to run the Maui marathon and Johnny wanted to join me.  He said he would train but our first practice run I could tell he’d missed more than a few runs.  During that run we decided I would try a MaiTai at every bar we went to.  Training be damned. I ran 30 miles that marathon. I tried hard core yelling at first to get him to keep up running with me but ended up having to go back and walk with him- we finished,  I’ll never forget it.  Johnny lived with me in  NYC for a while.  Instead of rent he renovated my kitchen which was extremely generous.  He did leave me to install a light and swore the wiring wasn’t hot.  It was, I got thrown off my ladder and of course, when I told him, he laughed and said “good thing you aren’t an electrician”  A few years later Johnny was a groomsmen in my wedding.  He reluctantly threw the tie on- brought his usual comedy and a few comments on marriage (wink wink) and it was great to see him.   Life can be a mystery and people have their personal stories.  We all  would have loved to see Johnny more, but I can truly say that when I did see him-it was always memorable- and as I wrote this I feel sadness he’s gone, and the need to focus on the smile, the jokes, the surfer blonde hair and the good times.  Aloha, Johnny, thanks for the memories.

John Babashak was my dive master, my architect, my builder, my hiking buddy and my best friend.

We became fast friends when he was introduced to me from mutual soccer playing friends on Maui. I invited him one morning to dive at what’s called old airport beach in Kaanapali, Maui. I had other paying customers and John came along, stuck around and helped me break down the gear at the end and then he asked me how much he owed me. I said, “Nothing. Your day was with me as a friend today.” And that’s how our friendship began. 

John earned his dive master certificate. We dove in some remote spots around the islands. John always had my back no matter what the situation was, in or out of the water.

John flew in to be a part of our wedding party. He quickly realized the deck on the garage was not going to be able to hold the people attending the wedding. He quickly engineered a solution and built it right there on the spot. He also constructed a beautiful two piece bench.

In 2020, John moved back to Hawaii to take a construction management job at the Airport. When that job wrapped up he went back to watch Anna graduate from high school. He was so proud of her and couldn’t stop beaming when he talked about it. He spent about a month back on the mainland with Mai and Anna. He returned to head a construction project in Hawaii building new wings for a hospital. 

John came over to the house just five days before he passed. We swam in the pool, laughed, and reminisced. 

Old airport beach, which was the very first place that I ever dove with John. We will say Aloha ‘Oe, 30 yards offshore. That is where he would swim out, set the dive flag, come back in and help me with the divers. Put your head underwater and listen. You might be lucky enough to hear the whales singing, fish crunching on the coral or maybe dolphins clicking. John did and loved it. 

John is already greatly missed. Buddy, until we dive together again, MAHALO & A Hui Hou Kākou – Until We Meet Again!

I am the best friend of John’s wife Mei whom I grew up with in the same army base, we went to same elementary and high school. We went to different colleges in China, then I came to University of New Haven to pursue a graduate degree, Mei joined me one year later. Mei met John when she worked in New York City after she got her MBA degree. When I first met John, I was struck by his good looks, blue eyes and blond hairs, he was a super nice, funny and very kind gentlemen, I liked him right away. They got my permission to get married (John would be laughing my permission), soon Anna was born, and she is definitely mini John, John loved Anna with his life, he was a very loving dad and would do anything for his daughter. My mom babysat Anna at their house, John was treating my mom like his own mom, and my mom loved John and always told me how generous and kind John was. My boys Kyle and Erik always called him Uncle John, they loved him very much. When Kyle was 2 and half years old, I took him to the day care near my work, on the way, a caboose train stationed on the railroad track, Kyle loved the trains, especially the caboose, every time we passed the caboose, and he always told me Uncle John will buy the caboose for him. My boys missed Uncle John dearly. I am heartbroken that my best friend Mei lost her handsome, loving and caring husband. 
Dear John, rest in peace, you will live forever in our heart! We love you!


I am the best friend of John’s wife Mei whom I grew up with in the same army base, we went to same elementary and high school. We went to different colleges in China, then I came to University of New Haven to pursue a graduate degree, Mei joined me one year later. Mei met John when she worked in New York City after she got her MBA degree. When I first met John, I was struck by his good looks, blue eyes and blond hairs, he was a super nice, funny and very kind gentlemen, I liked him right away. They got my permission to get married (John would be laughing my permission), soon Anna was born, and she is definitely mini John, John loved Anna with his life, he was a very loving dad and would do anything for his daughter. My mom babysat Anna at their house, John was treating my mom like his own mother, and my mom loved John and always told me how generous and kind John was. My boys Kyle and Erik always called him Uncle John, they loved him very much. When Kyle was 2 and half years old, I took him to the day care near my work, on the way, a caboose train stationed on the railroad track, Kyle loved the trains, especially the caboose, every time we passed the caboose, and he always told me Uncle John will buy the caboose for him. My boys missed Uncle John dearly. I am heartbroken that my best friend Mei lost her handsome, loving and caring husband. 
Dear John, rest in peace, you will live forever in our heart! We love you!
 


I have  had the opportunity and pleasure to know John since  working together at MSKCC.  He was a true professional honest and forthright man   I will miss our sms bantering.  Very few are gifted to express life love and the anguish that  we all face in this journey of life  in words.  But mere words can not truly represent the loss of a loved one.       Rest In Peace 
Captain Robert Driesen  USA Ret
Dallas Texas 

John was my uncle. He was the kindest, and most selfless person I knew. He and my mom were so very close and I was fortunate enough to spend a lot of my childhood with him. He helped guide me to become the man I am today, even adding a bunch of pranks and jokes to my collection. His humor and spirit were unmatched. His love for his family was so very admirable. One of my favorite memories is when he let me drive his car in a parking lot when I was 12 saying, “don’t tell your mom.” Well the look on my mom’s face when I told her is etched in my mind forever. I love you always and forever Uncle Hula/Sven.  Thank you for being you. You’re forever in my heart.

One of my first memories of my brother is him pulling me off the bottom of the deep end of a neighbor’s pool.  Once he knew I was ok he beat me up pretty good!)) I did not happen again-lesson learned.  John was a great older brother.  When he first started playing soccer, he would always pick me first.  Then I had to play goalie. It was awful. Week in and week out it was always the same 
John was a perfectionist to a fault, especially when it came to his work.  I remember his motto was always, “If you are going to do a job, do it right or don’t do it all.”  John had his demons in life too.  He had two beautiful, wonderland children from his first marriage.  Jim and Britta.  You could not ask for better kids.  Jim has a son and a daughter. Britta has a son and two daughters.  Years later he met Mei. She was his angel.  Together they had Anna. I remember her as always being bright and very intelligent. Later we met Kani, Anna’s older sister.  
I will miss him for the rest of my life.  

John, please Rest In Peace.  I am just glad mom went first.  

I worked with John at MSKCC building operating room and pediatrics. John was a fun, competent person to work with. He will be missed. Rest In Peace Johnny.

OBITUARY

John Francis Babashak III

15 December, 1952 – 19 August, 2021

Borthwick Mortuary

Show your support

Add a Memory

Share Obituary

Get Reminders

Services