John L. Battisti

He was the proud son of Catholic-Italian immigrants, Telvigi and Giovanni Battisti. As a young boy, John left Michigan and moved to Louisville, KY with his parents and sisters, Angelina and Theresa. After moving to Louisville, John attended St. George Catholic Grade School and was a graduate of Dupont Manual High School.

Shortly after graduating, John joined the United States Navy and was assigned to the Mayport Florida Naval Base. It was there, in Mayport, where John met Olga Bryant, his wife of 67 years and the love of his life. John and Olga married on January 5,1951 in Louisville KY, while he was on leave. Shortly after, John began service to his country as a seaman on the USS Boxer. On board ship, John worked in the Boiler Rooms as they took to the seas and joined the fight during the Korean War.

When the war ended, John made the decision to leave the Navy, where he was Honorably discharged. Shortly after, John and Olga made the decision to move back to Louisville, KY where they started their family of three: daughters Theresa A. Sheehan and Elizabeth R. Bond, and son and namesake, John L. Battisti III. After nearly twenty years in Louisville, John and Olga made the decision to move back to Mayport. As he recalled often, "I had the sand in my shoes and the ocean was calling us back home.”

John was a hardworking, family man, who held many jobs, but was first and foremost, a loving and caring, husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. He was a master in many trades, such as: interior design, carpentry, and restaurateur (he managed several restaurants and always made the most delicious pizzas at Pizza Hut)! He was a music and movie aficionado. He was a master of the ocean waves at Atlantic Beach, where he spent many a day tossing his namesake Johnny into the water and riding the biggest waves they could find! His work ethic and dedication to every endeavor in his life was unmatched. Whether it was maintaining his meticulous work bench in the garage, or laying tile in his daughter Beth’s foyer, or burning a collection of “the music that was done right” for his granddaughter, Heather, he never compromised quality. Even cutting and arranging the “best fruit bowls” at Publix, where he worked for his third career for 21 years until the age of 90 when he retired, he did every job with grit and integrity.

John loved his sports teams: Kentucky Wildcats (especially Adolph Rupp), Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and the Jacksonville Jaguars. He passionately loved the beach, trips to Rock City, deep sea fishing, and Disney World, where on his 84th birthday weekend, he spent time with his daughter Beth, visiting the attractions he loved best. He was forever young at heart and reminisced often about jumping off of the biggest diving board at Light House Lake, and sledding down the hills of Iroquois' Park in the snow during his childhood in KY. He was a Budweiser beer and chicken wings kinda guy, who always had a bottle of Galliano and Chianti on hand to share a toast with his family. He told stories of his mother and sisters hand rolling ravioli and found joy in the tradition passed to his wife, and finally his daughter Theresa and son-in-law Mark, which they kept up every Christmas. He loved his family, and told them, often.

John is survived by his son John L. Battisti, III (wife Lourdes); daughters: Theresa A. Sheehan (husband Mark) and Elizabeth R. Bond; grandchildren: Heather M. Sheehan (wife Kayleigh Stevens), Sarah Sheehan, Megan Gravley (husband Matthew), Erin Cassidy (husband Ryan), Lance Bond, Andrew Bond, John L. Battisti IV (wife Nanna), Jocelyn Acosta, Joseph Battisti, Aiden Rivera and Alena Rodriguez; Great-grandsons: Mason Ray Gravley, Miles David Gravley, Rowan Alexander Cassidy, James Battisti and Jacob Battisti; Nephew: Harold Raymond Joyce, and Niece Angela Ochsner.

Funeral arrangements will be held at Hardage Giddens Funeral Homes and Cemeteries, located at 1285 St. Johns Parkway, St. Johns, FL 32259, on Monday, October 28, 2024; Visitation 10-11AM, Services 11AM-noon; Reception noon - 1:00PM. Interment will follow in Jacksonville National Cemetery at 2:00PM.

Memorial contributions may be made to Community Hospice of Jacksonville FL, or the Wounded Warrior Project.