John "Jay" M. Calise

After his valiant effort and remarkable will to live, John “Jay” M. Calise of Port St. Lucie, FL passed away on Tuesday, January 25, 2022 from lung cancer at the age of 92. As John passed, he was comforted at home; by his side were the following: his beloved wife, Evelyn, their children and son-in-law. He was born April 29, 1929, in Rochester, NY, to Dominick Calise and Mary (Lanovara) Calise. John was an only child and his parents cherished him. He was the light in their lives, and he brought his parents great joy; his mother and father referred to him as Giovanni, “gift from God.”

John held a Bachelor of Arts in Language Arts and a Master’s in English Literature. He served his country in the U.S. Coast Guard as a medic during the Korean War. After the Coast Guard he married the love of his life, Evelyn Ruth Peacock, and they celebrated 64 years of marriage on August 24, 2021.

John chose to be an educator as his profession and loved to share his knowledge with those who wanted to learn. During his tenure as a teacher, John was the recipient of numerous awards, including “Teacher of the Year” multiple times. The students loved him and fondly called him “Mr. C.” Through his work ethic and devotion to his students, John inspired numerous students to create opportunities that they otherwise wouldn’t have had. This was evidenced in how he touched and impacted the lives of countless numbers of students throughout the years.

John was multi-talented. He was a skilled baseball player and a member of the farm team (number 11) third baseman, for the St. Louis Cardinals. His real passion was in the arts; he was blessed with a beautiful singing voice and was a gifted writer, poet and artist.

John was an avid sportsman; he loved golf and fishing and was very adept at both. He relished being outdoors experiencing the environment. John found solace and inspiration being in the midst of nature. He was filled with feelings of awe and wonder at the overwhelming beauty of our world; a forest, being by the sea, or a majestic mountain peak. This was sacred to him as if he were in a cathedral. As a devout man of faith, he recognized and deeply appreciated God’s creations and treated them with great respect and reverence. He marveled at all living things and he found the intrinsic beauty in everything – no matter how trivial or small. John recognized that we lived within a great artistic masterpiece, and would express his deep gratitude to our Creator, as he would pause to note the magnificence of our environment that was provided for His children to live in.

Over the years, John found time to contribute to the community. He was a devoted member of the Knights of Columbus for many years.

John was a charismatic man, outgoing, warm and friendly. Everyone loved “Jay!”

He was a great son, husband, father, grandfather, teacher, friend and leader. He was dedicated and selfless to the people he loved, and he was fiercely loyal. He embodied a generous and loving spirit; tender and kind, patient and compassionate, intelligent and wise. Everything he did, he did well, yet remained forever humble. He was an inspiration to us all!

If you asked John, his greatest accomplishment wasn’t his teaching career, it was being a devoted son, husband, father and grandfather. John’s tireless love and devotion to his family were evident even in his final days.

John was predeceased in death by his parents and by his granddaughter Lauren Lee Stanfill. He is survived by his wife, Evelyn (Peacock) Calise; children: Valari Calise, Donna Calise, Linda Stanfill, and her husband (son-in-law, Tim Stanfill); his grandchildren: Justin Stanfill and Jordyn Stanfill, and countless, extended family and found members. All held him in the highest regard, and loved him dearly. We are grateful for his sweet lifetime of devotion and thankful for the times we shared. We feel truly blessed and enriched by his presence in our lives. What a magnificent feeling it is to have shared the life of such a great man!

In lieu of flowers, people wishing to honor John’s lifelong commitment to childhood cancer, can make donations to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105 or [email protected].

A memorial Mass Service will be held on Wednesday, March 9, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Bernadette’s Catholic Church, 350 NW California Blvd., Port St. Lucie, FL 34986.

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