John Stephen Budka

Beloved by all who met him, John told the most wonderful stories and took as long to do so as he did to enjoy a good meal. John was a fabulous athlete and wrestled and played both football and baseball at North Rockland High School in NY. He attended Delhi College, where he explored his love for the hospitality industry and played baseball. He focused his career on the food and beverage industry (he worked at major hotel chains and owned a bagel store/deli in South Carolina, the incomparable Budka’s Bagels) and the packaging industry, working for 15 years at Import Packaging in River Edge.

John was a loving father who gave the gift of conscious presence to his three children, Danielle Nepola DeFelice (Michael DeFelice), Jaclyn Rose Budka, and John Stephen Budka, Jr. Whether traveling to softball tournaments around South Carolina and beyond, or hopping on the road to watch his son serve as a professional umpire, or filling the fridge with milk and chicken nuggets for the grandkids, John was always in the wings, smiling with encouragement and deeply supporting his children through the challenges of life. This support extended to his grandchildren, Jaden, Angelina, Sydney, Jackson, Gavin, and Savannah. He coached Jaden, was there for all his sporting events, and shared the Right side of the house with him; traded witticisms with Ang and let her take extra-good care of him; was the Poppa who was always around to share Sydney’s and Jackson’s humor and intelligence; and gave and took great comfort in holding and playing with Gavin and Savannah.

John’s loyalty to those he loved is legendary. In addition to his large extended family, he counted friends from every chapter of his life. He remained in contact with teammates and friends from Spring Valley, Stony Point, North Rockland, Greenville, and beyond. To know John Budka was to inherit a friend for life. He was the friend who reminisced about the wild exploits of yesterday; the brother and brother-in-law whose offer of help and warm laugh was always at the ready; the “Uncle Budka” who always said, sure, let’s go, (even when that meant chaperoning cruises); the grandfather who listened to you and held you close; the father who knew you, stood by you, and simply and elegantly loved you.

In addition to his children and grandchildren, John is survived by his former wife and friend Jeanne Verrier Budka; his brother Jimmy and sister-in-law Patty; his sisters Marguerite and Christina; his in-laws Jo-Ann, Mark, Judy, Krishna, Ellen, Tim, Michele, Tony, John, Sue, Kristen, and Leon; and dozens of nieces and nephews - all have lost a great champion. He was predeceased by his parents John and Margaret Budka (with whom he took amazing international trips) and his uncle Steve, as well as by his siblings Mary, Stephanie, and Timmy; his in-laws Jack and Jo-Ann Verrier and brother-in-law Charlie Chiarello; and his son-in-law Jeffrey Nepola.

The family will receive their relatives and friends on Thursday, February 3 from 2:00 to 4:00 and from 6:00 to 9:00 at Becker Funeral Home, 219 Kinderkamack Road, Westwood. A Mass celebrating John’s life will be held on Friday, February 4 at 10:00 at St. Joseph’s Church in Oradell, NJ. Interment will follow at George Washington Memorial Park at 234 Paramus Road in Paramus. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in his memory to the Herren Project, PO Box 131, Portsmouth, RI 02871 or on-line at www.HerrenProject.org.