John Paul Marchak

John Paul Marchak of Delaware, Ohio passed away peacefully on July 24, 2025 at the age of 94. Born in Dupont, PA to John and Frances Marchak, he was the last remaining of eight siblings. He was very proud of his Polish-Slovak heritage and enjoyed sharing traditional holiday prayers, recipes (especially pierogis), and stories about growing up in Dupont.

John graduated from Dupont Borough High School in 1948 Summa Cum Laude. After high school, he served his country from 1950-1953 during the Korean War, stationed in Japan as a radio operator for the U.S. Air Force. The first of his siblings to attend college, he graduated Summa Cum Laude with a B.S. in Education in 1957 from The State Teachers College West Chester (Pennsylvania), where he was also a member of the Friars Club. From there, he went on to teach Social Studies. He later attended the Maxwell School at Syracuse University, again graduating Summa Cum Laude with a Master of Arts Degree, focusing on International Relations.

During his years as a teacher, he met the love of his life Marlene (Gagliardi) Marchak, and always said It was love at first sight. They married in 1963 and were together until her death in 2022.

After Syracuse he initially started at Wharton School but soon received an offer to be an Editor at Xerox Educational Publication Division in Middletown, Connecticut. He moved the family to Portland, Connecticut where they lived for six years. The family then moved to Mount Vernon, Virginia when he accepted an offer to be Editor of Kiplinger Magazine in Washington D.C. After seven years in Virgina, the family moved to Upper Arlington, Ohio when John was accepted a position with Zaner-Bloser, a subsidiary of Highlights for Children, eventually promoted to Director of Marketing for Highlights for Children until retirement.

The patriarch of our family, he was patient, kind-hearted, soft-spoken, an amazing mentor, and had strong love for all of us. Never without a book, he led by example, instilling the importance of education to his children and grandchildren. He was often referred to as Encyclopedia Britanica, as he could recite anything from memory. Marlene and John shared the Sunday morning crossword puzzles, making sure it was solved completely. His other passion was gardening, and he nursed his expansive rose garden, treating each like a child, making sure they were nourished to grow to their full potential. He and Marlene loved spending countless summers walking the boards and enjoying the beach of Ocean City, New Jersey surrounded by family and, in later years, discovering Hilton Head Island and enjoying more time there with family.

John was a devout member of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Upper Arlington, Ohio, and was involved in various church community activities. He and Marlene also enjoyed their time as members of a dinner club with their many longtime friends of over 30 years.

He is preceded in death by his wife Marlene (Gagliardi). He is survived by his children John Marchak and Lucy Ambrosino, Lynne (Marchak) and Mostafa Rizk, Kristin (Marchak) and Steve Harder, Paul and Jenny (Lee) Marchak and his grandchildren: Benjamin Harder, Elise (Harder) Konstan and Alex Konstan, Jonathan Harder, Sofia Rizk, Sydney Ana Rizk, Sydney Grace Marchak and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. He will be missed and never forgotten by his family and many friends.

A public memorial service and celebration of his life will be held on Saturday, November 15, 2025 at 11am at the West Laurel Hill Cemetery, Chapel of Peace, in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania. Main Entrance 225 Belmont Avenue, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004. GPS Directions For GPS directions, please use: 321 Belmont Avenue, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004

In Lieu of flowers, please send donations in Memory of John Marchak for the hospice at Kobacker House,

in Columbus, Ohio, (614) 566-5377, Ohio Health Foundation, (https://giving.ohiohealth.com/site/Donation2?idb=407134431&DONATION_LEVEL_ID_SELECTED=1&df_id=3141&mfc_pref=T&3141.donation=form1&idb=0 )

or Dupont Area Food Pantry at Weinberg Ne PA Regional Food Bank, 185 Research Drive, Pittston, PA 18640, (570) 826-0510, ( https://www.ceopeoplehelpingpeople.org/index.asp?SEC=E2E3811A-62AF-4941-AD48-E20B2ED8AF6D&Type=QUICKFORM )