John J. Bajor, 11 June 1945–14 February 2022

An ancient mariner has made his final port call: John Joseph Bajor disembarked on 14 February 2022 after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease. John was born on 11 June 1945 in Newark, NJ to Gladys and John W. Bajor, the latter of whom returned from service in WWII shortly after his son’s birth. He grew up in Bayonne, NJ where he was educated at Our Lady of Mount Carmel grade school and then St. Anthony’s Prep in Jersey City.

John was a life-long mariner and entrepreneur whose professional titles ranged from paper boy (Jersey Journal), to cadet (US Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, NY, Class of 1969), to at-sea  engineer and then superintendent of repairs ashore (Exxon International and  the Marine Midland Agency of NYC), and finally President/CEO (Keppel Marine Agencies, Inc.)  At the age of 11, John channeled his paper route money towards purchase and restoration of his first vessel, which he (unbeknownst to his mother) enjoyed rowing eastward through New York Harbor to observe the construction of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge.

After high school, John spent two years alternating semesters between service at sea with Exxon while attending night school at St. Peter’s College before securing a competitive appointment to Kings Point. As a cadet, he excelled at the Marine Engineering curriculum while also (allegedly) setting a record for most demerits accumulated via extracurricular activities involving tugboats, cans of black paint, and weather balloons. He particularly enjoyed his “Sea Year”, where he and his best friend Jeff Eldredge honed their Morse Code skills from atop a Turkish lighthouse and their dancing skills in Rotterdam.

During his final year at King’s Point John met the love of his life, Lois Heeney of Jersey City, thanks to a blind date arranged by John’s brother Raymond, who as Lois’ St. Peter’s classmate thought her sense of humor might be broad enough to appreciate John.  After graduation, Lois and John were married in the St. Peter’s chapel with Raymond as best man. John spent the next several years at sea including the hazardous-duty delivery of fuel and supplies to Vietnam before coming ashore in an engineering management role. He served part-time as an officer in the Naval Reserve and completed graduate work at Newark College of Engineering and Oxford University.

In 1980, John was recruited to lead a joint venture with the Singaporean shipbuilding firm Keppel International. Over the next 35 years as president/CEO of Keppel Marine Agencies he developed a network of shipyards and engineers that spanned Northern Ireland, France, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Gibraltar, Greece, UAE, Singapore, the Philippines, and Texas. He and Lois travelled to many interesting locales and enjoyed the company of a very diverse and interesting circle of friends. John’s crowning achievement before retirement was partnering with AT&T and Tyco in the design, build-out and launch of the world’s most advanced fleet of vessels capable of laying and repairing transoceanic fiber optic cable, in doing so making a significant contribution to American commerce and national security.

In retirement, John enjoyed travel, boating, and participation in the Knights of Columbus. He was known around marinas, sushi restaurants, and Drydock Clubs world-wide for his generosity and quick wit. He was pre-deceased by his parents Gladys and John W. and his brother Leonard (Diane), with whom we are sure he is celebrating right now. In addition to Lois, to whom he was married for 52 years, John leaves behind his brother Raymond  (Peggy) of Milford, PA, and three children, Jennifer (Matthew) Schramm of Bel Air, MD, John C. Bajor of Houston, TX, and Laura Bajor of Wesley Chapel, FL, all of whom will miss him greatly. He was an extremely devoted Papa to his six grandchildren (Lillian, Madeline, and John J. Bajor of Houston, TX; Kelly and Katelyn Schramm of Bel Air, MD; and Sarah Bajor of Wesley Chapel, FL), whom he greatly enjoyed teaching to swim, fish, and crab from his boat (the Lois B.), flailing valiantly while accompanying them to their arts/crafts classes and mastering the “Prince Airwick” part from the ballet Swan Lake. He was also grateful to have had a wide circle of cousins, in-laws, nieces, and nephews whom he adored.

Viewing hours will be held on Friday 25 February at Dobies’ Funeral Home in Tarpon Springs, FL with a Funeral Mass at the adjacent St. Ignatius Catholic Church on Saturday 26 February. John will be buried at sea this summer followed by a Celebration of Life in Bayonne for friends and relatives unable to travel to Florida for his wake and funeral (date/location to be determined).

In closing, the Bajor family would like to thank the staff of Grand Villa Assisted Living in Dunedin, FL for their care and patience with John during the final year of his life.