John W Lukanski

John W. Lukanski, 82, of North Brunswick, New Jersey, passed away at his residence on August 30, 2025.

John was born in Shamokin, Pennsylvania and lived in Atlas, Pennsylvania until 1956 when his family moved to New Brunswick, New Jersey. In Pennsylvania, John was an altar boy and safety patrol boy at Mother of Consolation Parish.

Arriving in New Brunswick, he continued his activities in sports playing baseball, basketball, track and cross country. He was a member of the 1958 Group 4 New Brunswick State Cross Country Team which was later inducted into the New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame. At New Brunswick High School, he was active in student body leadership roles. He loved music and was a member of the acapella choir singing tenor in many quartets.

John graduated from Rutgers University and served as its yearbook editor for the New Brunswick campus. He retired from International Fidelity Insurance Company in 2010 after twenty years in accounting/credit collections. Prior to that, he worked at Johnson and Johnson and E.R. Squibb & Sons.

John was active at St. Mary’s of Mount Virgin Parish in New Brunswick, serving as a lector and usher. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus serving in various capacities including being the previous Grand Knight of Council 6572 . He was a 4th Degree member of the Monsignor O’Grady Assembly. John also served as an altar boy director and cub scout master at St. Mary’s Parish.

John was a North Brunswick Township Committeeman from 1976 until 1998. He was a member of the Italian American Club of North Brunswick, the Italian Cultural Society of North Brunswick and the Brunswick Moose Lodge.

John enjoyed music, especially the oldies-50’s and 60’s. He enjoyed watching professional wrestling, NASCAR, reading and going to the casinos. He loved his family, particularly his four grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by his parents John and Emma nee Sutkowski.

John is survived by his wife of fifty-six years, Josephine nee Bellizia; his son John O. and his wife, Michaela of Summit, New Jersey; his daughter Daniela and her husband, John of North Brunswick, New Jersey; his beloved grandchildren, Corbin, Frankie, Sawyer and Dior; his sister, Joanne McNamara of North Brunswick, New Jersey; his brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Benjamin and Sara Spinnickie of North Brunswick, New Jersey and several nieces and nephews.

Visitation services will be held 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM, Tuesday, September 2, 2025, at Crabiel Parkwest Funeral Chapel, 239 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, and 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM, Wednesday, September 3, 2025, at Crabiel Parkwest Funeral Chapel. A Mass will be held 11:30 AM, Wednesday, September 3, 2025, at St. Mary of Mount Virgin RC Church, 190 Sandford Street, New Brunswick, NJ. Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to: Autism NJ, The American Heart Association, or the Italian Cultural Society of North Brunswick.

Professional services entrusted to Crabiel Parkwest Funeral Chapel of New Brunswick, NJ. Please visit www.crabielparkwest.com to sign the online guestbook.