John Martin Stefanelli

Born on Oct. 19, 1944 to James (Giacomo) and Mary (née Buccigrossi) Stefanelli and 4-year-old brother James, John spent his childhood on Chicago’s South Side. He began his lengthy culinary career in high school as an assistant vegetable washer at the Hotel Atlantic.

John contributed years of work in the food and beverage industry before being drafted into service in Vietnam from 1966 to 1968. He would receive a medal for his marksmanship in the United States Army and be honorably discharged in 1972.

John went on to receive an associate’s degree in applied sciences from the College of Dupage and met his future wife, Deanna, working as a chef at The Flame restaurant. They married in 1970 and welcomed their first child, Antony, in 1971.

He received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois, a master’s degree from Michigan State University and a PhD at the University of Denver. John and Deanna welcomed their second child, Gina, in 1975.

The family finally settled in Nevada where John became a professor of food and beverage at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 1978. During John’s decades-long career at UNLV, he served as the chair of the college’s Food and Beverage Department and the Associate Dean of the college, received the Claudine Williams Distinguished Chair (1992–1994) and was awarded the Teaching and Learning Center Fellows Award in 2010 before his retirement as Professor Emeritus in 2011. John also penned several textbooks on catering, food purchasing and marketing that became industry standards.

A proud veteran, John was a beloved member of the Las Vegas community and enjoyed being outside (with the exception of camping), doing puzzles and collecting Earl Stanley Gardner novels. For all of his professional success, family was everything to him and he could often be found spoiling his grandchildren or making family dinner on Sundays.

John was preceded in death by his mother and father. He is survived by his wife, Deanna; his brother and sister-in-law, James and Mary Ellen; his son and daughter-in-law, Tony and Susan; his daughter and son-in-law, Gina and Jonathan; and his grandchildren, Nicolas, Alec, Stella and Beatrice. He also leaves a robust community of colleagues and friends who will miss him deeply.