John J. Taraska M.D.

John J. Taraska was born in Philadelphia, Pa. in 1933 and has been a resident of Peoria, IL. Since 1970. He served in the United States army for three years during the Korean war. He worked for two years in Tokyo as a medical technician at which time he did research on Japanese hemorrhagic fever.

Dr. Taraska was the first in his family to attend college. He graduated from Temple University in Philadelphia and later from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, PA.

He did an internship for one year on Staten Island, N.Y. and then began his residency in Pathology. The first year was spent at Gorgas hospital in the Panama Canal Zone at which time he was able to make several medical missionary trips.

In 1970 he took a position with the Peoria-Tazewell Pathology Group at Methodist Medical Center. He also taught pathology at the University of Illinois School Of Medicine at which time he served as chairman of the pathology department. He implemented the school of medical technology at Methodist Medical Center and served as director of the hematology section.

Dr. Taraska was one of the original founders of the St. Jude Midwest Affiliate which was launched in 1972 and housed at Methodist Medical Center. He served on the board of the Affiliate for twenty-two years and was president from 1981 to 1983.

He also served as president of the Peoria Medical Society, president of the Illinois State Pathology Society, and as a delegate to the Illinois State Medical Society for over more than twenty years.

In 1969, he volunteered as a Peace Corp physician in Brazil. In 1978, he taught Hematology at the Santo Tomas Medical-School in Tegucigalpa. From 1980 to 1998, under church sponsorship, he made five medical missionary trips to Haiti and three to the Dominican Republic. The last trip was made to an orphanage in Leo Ghan, Haiti.

Although he retired from his full-time practice of pathology in 1996, he continued to do autopsies for the Tazewell County Coroner's Office.

During his retirement he enjoyed many hobbies. He especially enjoyed gardening and hostas, deer hunting, scuba diving, crabbing and fishing in Florida and collecting American Indian artifacts, stamps and beer steins.

John is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Marie Constance Taraska. They shared their lives together in many places including Panama, New York, Massachusetts, Florida and Illinois. John is also survived by their 5 children: Attorney Michael Taraska, Dr. Gregory Taraska, Dr. Richard Taraska, Attorney Katrina Taraska Simon and Attorney Marie Taraska. John is also survived by 9 grandchildren, Rocco, Amaya and Sabrina Taraska, Maria Victoria and Miranda Taraska, Tyler and Kaylee Taraska, Melanie Wilson and Parker White.

Dr. Taraska is also survived by a brother, Frank Taraska of NJ. He is predeceased by two brothers, Robert Taraska and Edward Taraska of NJ.

Dr. Taraska and his wife are members of St. Mary of Lourdes Roman Catholic Church in Metamora and St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Peoria IL.

A visitation will be held from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. on Tuesday, May 23, 2023 at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church with a funeral mass following at 12 p.m. Cremation rites will be accorded following the services and interment will take place at St. Mary of Lourdes. In lieu of flowers, John requested donations be sent to the St. Jude Midwest Affiliate, Peoria, IL.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.Woolsey-Wilton.com for the Taraska family.