Obituary of John S. Robak

John Robak of Forked River NJ, formerly of Byram Township NJ, unexpectedly passed away on Tuesday, February 4th, 2025 at home leaving a void his family cannot fill. He was 71 years old. 

John was born on September 2, 1953 in Rawicz, Poland to the late Joseph and Mary (Krasnicka) Robak. John came to the United States in 1961 and lived in the Ironbound section of Newark during childhood. John was educated at St. Casimir School and then went on to study electric engineering at Irvington Technical School graduating in 1972. He immediately went into the workforce and always worked hard to support his family.  He was the President of Gavan-Graham Electrical Products in Union for many years before his retirement in 2023. Throughout his career, he was known for his hard work, dedication, and loyalty.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, John was a devoted father to Christopher and Jennifer who miss him dearly and the life lessons he imparted to them.  He was always there for them, whether it was coaching sports, being the ultimate Mr-Fix It, or simply listening to them vent about life while giving the best “Dad advice”.  He was a proud father. 

John’s most recent favorite role was that of a grandparent.  He treasured his time with his grandkids, Jonathan and Madelyn and he loved being their Dziadzi. Madelyn danced her way into his heart and she will forever be his little princess. He loved fishing and crabbing with Jonathan as well as cheering for him in sports. John also had a special place in his heart for his dogs, treating each one like an important member of the family.

Everyone who knew John, knew how much he loved classic cars, the Yankees, and a good Italian restaurant. John was a certified National Ski Patroller for many years volunteering his time on the mountain. During the summer, he loved sitting in his adirondack chair, watching the water in his backyard while being surrounded by the people he cared about most - his family and friends. He enjoyed tending to both his vegetable garden and grill, feeding everyone with plump tomatoes, cucumbers and perfectly cooked steaks. 

John is survived by his son Christopher Robak; daughter Jennifer Church and her husband Michael; cherished grandchildren Jonathan and Madelyn Church; brother Teddy Robak; and brother Mieczyslaw Robak and his wife Grazyna. He is also survived by many close family and friends. His legacy will forever live on through the countless lives he touched and the lessons he taught us.

Please join the family for a memorial gathering to honor John’s Life on Saturday, February 15 from 12pm to 4pm at Leber-Lakeside Funeral Home, 150 Landing Road, Landing, NJ. A Prayer service will be held at 3:30pm at the funeral home. 

In John’s memory, donations can be made in his name to Saint Jude Children’s Research Hospital at https://www.stjude.org/give.html.  John was a dedicated supporter of this charity. 

"Plants are also welcomed as they will serve as a lasting tribute to John Robak's remarkable life."