Captain USCG (retired) John Anthony Randell

Born in Brooklyn, New York, he attended Brooklyn Tech HS, then the US Coast Guard Academy. He went on to proudly serve on ships in the North Atlantic, South Pacific and Gulf of Alaska during his 24-year career. After retiring from the Coast Guard as a Captain, he had a 15-year career as a mathematics teacher at Broadneck HS in Maryland.

John believed deeply in hard work, punctuality and that Sundays are for church and family. He loved music, swimming, sailing, and in his words “dancing with my gorgeous wife, Marilyn”. In retirement, he and Marilyn traveled extensively with John’s sisters, brothers-in-law and cousins many times along Europe’s glorious rivers. His latest hobby was carving birds out of wood. An owl, a blue heron and other magnificent waterfowl, gifted from John, are perched proudly on the shelves or mantels in each of his children’s homes.

From his version of sand skee-ball at the beach to renovating a kitchen, John was a gifted engineer who could fix, build, or improvise anything, a talent that he generously shared with anyone who needed it. Or as he put it, “I enjoyed helping others.”

He is survived by Marilyn, his wife of 57 years, and his three children, Mary Zeliff and her husband, Jeff, Debbie Deosaran and her husband, John, and John “Jay” Randell and his wife, Tania, along with five grandchildren - Ray Meyer, Katie Deosaran, Jack Deosaran, Brooke Randell and Samia Randell. He also is survived by his sister, Mary Ann DiFranco and her husband, Domenick, and his sister, Carol Horstmann and her husband, John. He is predeceased by his parents, Cyril Randell and Mary (Mizzer) Randell.

John donated to literally dozens of organizations. In lieu of flowers, feel free to make a donation in John’s name to the American Cancer Society or to an organization of your choosing – it’s likely to be one that John supported.

Visitation will be held on Monday, March 1, 2021 from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 pm at John M. Taylor Funeral Home, 147 Duke of Gloucester Street, Annapolis, MD. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, March 2, 2021 at 9:00 am at Saint John Neumann Catholic Church, 620 N. Bestgate Road, Annapolis, MD. A Reception will follow the funeral Mass at John M. Taylor Funeral Home, 147 Duke of Gloucester Street, Annapolis, MD. from 10:30 am to 12:30 PM.