Across the years I will walk with you
In deep, green forests on shores of sand;
And when our time on Earth is through
In Heaven too, You will have my hand.
Johan (John) Domenie died in hospice in Naples, Florida on April 20, 2023. He was born in
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on July 15, 1929 the younger son of Dutch parents, Roelof Jan Domenie
and Jakomina Maria Elizabeth van Hoeflaken Domenie. Both parents and his brother, Rudolf
Jan, predeceased him.
John is survived by Mayda Garabedian Domenie his loving wife of 49 years and three
children: Holly Domenie Adams; Douglas Jan (Patrice), and Mary Domenie (Rob)Lloyd. Another
daughter, Deborah Anne Domenie passed away in 1979. He is also survived by seven grandchildren
(Christopher and Matthew Adams; Charles Domenie, Lucy Solari, and Henry Domenie; Emilie
and Andrew Lloyd) and four great grandchildren (Leonardo and Luca Solari; Albert and Logan
Domenie).
His early education was at a German School in Rio and when the WWII began in May 1940 he
transferred to the American School. The family moved to New York in August 1944. John
graduated from Riverdale Country School and later obtained his BA in Economics from Harvard
in 1950. At Harvard he was a three-season athlete playing House Football in the fall,
competitively swimming in winter, and playing rugby in the spring.
When the Korean War broke out days after graduation, John enlisted in the Army. Since he was
fluent in Dutch, Portuguese, German, English, Spanish, and French, he was sent to Trieste,
Italy and served two years overseas in G-2 (Intelligence). There he added Italian to his linguistic
skills.
Upon discharge, in 1953 married Anne Mahnken, the mother of his children. He was employed
by Anderson, Clayton & Amp; Co in NYC and, shortly after the birth of their first child, was transferred
to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil where he became Sales Manager of the Rio Green Coffee Export
Division. In 1959 he joined Atlantic Refining as Assistant Treasurer in Rio
The family returned to the USA in 1964 where he helped establish the Wells Fargo Bank
International Office in New York. He and Anne separated in 1972 and it was while working at
Wells Fargo Bank he met and, in 1974 married, Mayda Marie Garabedian.
Subsequently, he became VP and manager of the International Division at New Jersey Bank,
and ended his career as First Vice-President at the New York branch of Bayerische Hypotheken
und Wechsel Bank, headquartered in Munich, Germany. Regular business trips took him to
Latin America and Europe.
John took early retirement in 1987 and moved with Mayda to Pelican Bay in Naples, Florida
where they established The Image Bank, Florida – a stock photography company – and
eventually also oversaw operations at an office in Atlanta and in Puerto Rico. In 1994,
foreseeing the digital camera revolution they sold the business and permanently retired.
While living in Pelican Bay, John was very active in a number of community organizations,
serving as Captain of the Pelican Bay Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) for 8
years; Serving our Seniors (SOS) for 2 years; the Board of the Pelican Bay Property Owners
Association for 3 years; the Board of the Pelican Bay Services Division for 12 years (including 3
as Clam Bay Committee Chair); founding member of Mangrove Action Group and serving as
Treasurer for three years; representing Pelican Bay on the Collier County Presidents’ Council;
serving on the Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council; and serving on the boards of St
Tropez and Breakwater condominiums. On the occasion of Pelican Bay’s 25 th Anniversary,
Mayda and John organized a 9-team Chili Cook-off Competition which raised $5,000.00 for
CERT.
Outside of Pelican Bay, John was elected as Junior Warden and also served various terms as
Treasurer of St. John’s Episcopal Church, where he also served as an acolyte. For two years he
was the Auditor at St. Mary Armenian Orthodox Church in Hollywood, FL. In 1998, he and
Mayda incorporated the 245-member Armenian-American Cultural Society. Mayda served as
President from its inception and John served as Secretary/Treasurer for 10 years prior to its
dissolution in 2014.
John was an avid sailor with membership at American Yacht Club in Rye, NY and the Royal
Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club in Bermuda. He regularly competed in races, first on a 22-foot
Ensign and then a 34-foot Tartan. He crewed in six Marion-Bermuda sailboat races and, in 1983
he and his son won their division in Marion-Bermuda Race in their 44-foot Tartan. Two years later, in the
same race, that boat was dismasted 35 miles from Bermuda, but it arrived safely at its
destination. In Naples, John also regularly crewed for Fred White whose boat was awarded the
Boat of the Year.
His greatest joy was working with Mayda in various capacities for over 45 years. They travelled
extensively and enjoyed leisurely sailing in the Caribbean for 7 years on their 40-foot sailboats
docked in Tortola, BVI. Their mutual love was evident in all their projects and adventures.
A Memorial Service will be held at Hodges Funeral Home in Naples, FL at 11:00 am
on Tuesday, April 25, 2023 and a reception will be held immediately following the service.
Memorial gifts can be made to St. John’s Episcopal Church in Naples, FL, St. Mary Armenian
Orthodox Church, Hollywood, FL or Avow Hospice, Naples, FL.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.hodgesfhatnaplesmg.com for the Domenie family.
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