10/04/1951-05/11/2022
Venice, Florida
John Lak passed peacefully with his family by his side on May 11, 2022 in Venice, FL at the age of 70, after a courageous battle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Scientist, scholar, world traveler and avid reader, John’s legendary love of life cannot easily be dimmed.
A warm beach day. A great new book. A Rolling Stones song. A perfect wine pairing. These are just some of the things that ignited John’s infectious smile. During his lifetime, John continually reinvented and improved upon himself, guided by a love of the arts, science, history and technology.
John was born in Springfield, MA and is the son of the late Anna Lak and Stephen Lak. John leaves his two sons, Justin Lak, and his wife Sarah of Chicopee, MA and their two children, Allison and Hannah. He leaves Clinton Lak, of Venice, FL. John also leaves his love, Donna Jean Reynolds, of Tampa, FL. John is survived by his former wife, Isabelle Lak, of Chicopee, MA.
John is survived by his siblings; Stephen Lak and his wife Kathleen of Ottawa, Canada; Richard Lak and his wife Ann of Dover, NH; Connie Holden and her husband Richard of Hadley, MA; Christine Lak of Easthampton, MA; Maryanne Lak Senecal of Chicopee, MA and Theresa Lak and her husband Gary Iadarola of Essex, CT and numerous nieces and nephews.
As a native of Chicopee, MA, John was a proud graduate of Chicopee High School, Holyoke Community College, Western New England College and later UMASS Amherst where John earned his MBA. John’s natural curiosity and charisma inspired relationships far and wide, framing the canvas of both his professional and social lives.
John had a fierce love for his family and a passion for the beach, tennis, football, boating, waterskiing, fishing, golf, biking and anything sporting a regal shade of purple. There was rarely a night that John couldn’t run the board on Jeopardy. No genre of music prevented John from hitting the dance floor. John loved the coastal lifestyle, especially all things Cape Cod.
John and Donna Jean spent their time enjoying travel and the pursuit of the finer things in life. They shared a love of Rome, their most cherished vacation destination. In Florence, the statue of David has pupils carved in the shape of hearts, and John shared that same positive outlook, even during the two decades that John managed to navigate medical adversities. All those lucky enough to have known John would agree, without reservation, that John used each one of his nine lives. John was always an optimist, and fully enjoyed a life well lived.
Details about a Celebration of Life event in John’s honor will follow. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in John’s name to the ALS society via ALS.org
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