John Anthony Cumorich

John Anthony Cumorich passed away peacefully in his sleep in his favorite napping location on April 1, 2026, at 85. John is survived by his best friend in life for 77 years and his wife of 59 years, Karen. As their friend Deborah shared, John always had a twinkle in his eye when he looked at Karen. John and Karen have two delightful daughters, Nicole (Dominick Palmisano) and Brook (Chad Flanders), and three Granddaughters, Alyssa Palmisano-Mascow (Alex + Brynley, his great-granddaughter), Jenna Palmisano-Boston (Jasper), and Kayla Palmisano (Lia). John is also survived by many nieces, nephews, and their growing families. While John was an only child, he was never an “only” anything. He is preceded in death by his parents, Frances and Nikola, and his best furry pal, Molly.

John lived a long and storied life, from his childhood in the once rural Chicago suburb of Oak Lawn, to a successful professional International Transportation career in Chicago, and ultimately to his happiest chapter of building his dream log cabin in Tennessee on Norris Lake. John always shared how grateful he was to take his watch off for the last time and start his routine of six Saturdays and a Sunday across the 27 years of his “Tennessee Time” retirement with Karen. He loved his time spent with the best neighbors, visiting friends, and his girls.

John was an avid collector—not just of things, but of stories, memories, and small joys. For a good long while, he could be found on a boat, near a lake or with a tackle box; and odds were good he had a Pepsi in hand and pocket that jingled faintly with coins, gems, or other treasures. John had a gift for noticing things most people passed by—whether it was the way the wind blew through the trees, the subtle shift in the water just before a fish bit, the worn edge of an old coin, or the way a gem caught the light just right. He understood, in his own way, that value isn’t always loud and not all words need to be spoken. Sometimes it’s quiet, tucked away, waiting for someone patient enough to see it…and he was always looking.

He measured his life less by milestones and more by simple moments: while his younger antics involved tinkering on his ‘59 Impala, lots of sports, and even more beers, he aged into someone who appreciated quiet peace. From early mornings that started well before the rest of the world woke up, the steady rhythm of casting and reeling, the joy of a good NCIS rerun, and the satisfaction of a good find—be it a rare coin, an interesting stone, or just a beautiful Tennessee day sitting on the porch or playing in the dirt. He was kind, generous with his time, knowledge, and resources, and the definition of a good neighbor. He was also an envy of the next generation who strived to be Uncle John.

As the consummate student, Nicole and Brook called him human Google before Google was invented; he always answered when they needed to “phone a friend” for a late-night trivia challenge. Not only intelligent, but John also had the best sense of humor, and he loved to tease and embarrass his daughters, tell jokes and funny stories, and in many ways, it feels oddly fitting for him to have passed on April Fool’s Day.

Now, John has stepped away from the shoreline, the tackle box is closed, the collections remain where they were left, and the lake he loved and watched every day carries on as it always has—steady, reflective, unchanged on the surface but always moving underneath.

John was not a fan of traditional end-of-life services; the family will be hosting a celebration of John’s life later in the summer. In the interim, if you find yourself by the water, among the trees, or with something small and unique in your hand, take a moment, pause to listen or look just a little closer, that’s where John is.

Walters Funeral Home of LaFollette is honored to be serving the family of John Anthony Cumorich.