John Joseph Fiorot

John Joseph Fiorot, age 92, passed away Friday October 2, 2026,surrounded by loved ones. leaving behind a legacy of hard work, devotion to family and a life well lived. He was born on June 20,1934 in Wind Gap, PA to John P. and Rose M. (Berhel) Fiorot

John graduated from Pen Argyl High School in 1952 and from Allentown’s Penn State Technical Institute in 1953. He served honorably in the U.S. Air Force as a AC&W Radar Maintenance Technician after completing basic training at Sampson AFB and Electronic/Radar technical school at Keesler AFB. He was an honor grad.

Following his military time, he married Janie M. Beckworth in St. Mary Catholic Church in Georgetown, SC in 1958. Together they built their family. He was a man who valued family above all else and took great pride in the life he and Janie created together.

John spent 37 years with Bendix Field Engineering Corporation starting as a Service Technician on the ESAR Feasibility R & D contract. He was promoted twice on the follow-up ESAR AN/FPS 46XW1 contract and was project supervisor at the end of the contract. He was then assigned to the AN/FPS85 contract at Eglin AFB as the Receiver Array Installation supervisor. This followed by various tests and alignments to the radar until the radar was destroyed by fire in 1965. He was Supervising Receiver Array Engineer for the rebuilt AN/FPS85 and was responsible for all calibration cable electrical length adjustments of the transmitter and Arrays. The following 14 years were spent on the Bendix/NASA contract as Digital Display Lead Engineer for tracking site related equipment. For the Shuttle program, he designed the Data Interface Unit (DIU) for all the tracking sites and was also involved with numerous other tasks.

He returned to the AN/FPS85 as a Technical Advisor to the USAF for 4 years where he received his last promotion to Senior Field Systems Engineer. His final assignment was with the FAA’s Parallel Runway Monitor Circular Phased Array Secondary Radar contract. During this time, he installed systems in RDU International Airport in North Carolina, Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport in Minnesota and Sydney’s Kingsford Smith International Airport, Australia which concluded his employment with Bendix now known as Honeywell International. His career reflected his strong sense of duty, discipline and commitment.

During in retirement, he became a master woodworker after designing and building a garage/woodworking shop. This activity ended much to soon because of Macular Degeneration in his left eye. John was a life member of the Pen Argyl American Legion, Charles Nelson Lobb Post 502, Sampson AFB Veterans Association and Air Force Radar Museum.

John is preceded in death by his parents John P. and Rose M. (Berhel) Fiorot, Janie (Beckworth) Fiorot of 68 years, daughter Annette A. (Fiorot) Jones, granddaughter Cassandra Fiorot, sister Marie A. Fiorot Bitheimer and brother Daniel A. Fiorot.

He is survived by two sisters Dorothy Kay Sandercock and Elizabeth Cesare both of PA., son Michael Joseph Fiorot and wife Darla, grandchildren, John Joseph Fiorot II, Kaysie Jones, Tasha Newville, Justin Fiorot, Adrian Traina, Brian Melton. Great granddaughters Destiny Jones, Kinsley Fiorot, Haidyn Melton, Makayla Melton and Keira Melton, numerous cousins, eight nephews and nieces, twelve great nephews and nieces and two great – great nephews and a niece

He especially treasured time with family and friends, Debbie Roney Smith and husband who he considered family and a very dear friend, as well as numerous extended friends. He will be remembered with love and respect by all who had the privilege of knowing him. John Joseph Fiorot leaves behind a lasting example of faith, perseverance and devotion to family and his memory will continue to live in the hearts of those who loved him.

Services will be held in the spring in Pen Argle, Pennsylvania.