John J. Loftus

1927 - 2026

OBITUARY

John Joseph Loftus (“Jack”) was called home to heaven on Friday August 14, 2026 at 98 years young. He was surrounded by family, love and prayers as he passed peacefully in the same home he shared with his wife and family since 1955.

Jack was born December 23, 1927 in Brooklyn and along with his parents John and Cecilia, he grew up with four brothers and two sisters with his brother, Richard, as his “partner in crime” during boyhood antics especially during family summers at Rockaway Beach in Queens. He attended St Ephrem’s grammar school and Brooklyn Tech high school.

He joined the Navy in December 1944 at the age of 17 and completed his Naval Aviation Radioman training and Naval Air Gunners School in 1945. While he never saw combat, he was a member of the Navy reserves until 1958 and was awarded an Honorable Discharge.

Jack was a man of faith, family and hard work. He met his sweetheart, Patricia, at Rockaway Beach – it was love at first sight. They were married in 1955, and bought a home in Queens Village, NY where they raised six children and were each other’s best friends until the love of his life passed away in 2005 after 50 years of marriage. He was an active member of Incarnation Church in Queens Village, the Holy Name Society and the Boy Scouts. His Catholic faith was strong and unwavering for his entire life, and he instilled the value of a faithful life in his family.

He was literally a “Jack of all Trades” from selling soda at Rockaway Beach in his youth, to working with his father at the docks in Brooklyn, to installing some of the very first private telephone lines for the telephone company, to a firefighter for the FDNY, and finally to retiring as a letter carrier for the US Postal Service where he was well known and liked by his Queens Village customers as Jack the Mailman.

It didn’t take much to make him happy. A Mets game, a bag of chips and a Pepsi were all that he needed. Later in life, he loved attending events for his grandchildren, and he was always quick with a joke or “Pop stories”. He wanted nothing more than for his family to be happy and he always said, “It doesn't matter what you do, just do it to the best of your abilities.”.

Jack was predeceased by his wife of fifty years, Patricia (neé Clark) Loftus. He is survived by his six children John Loftus and his wife Donna (nee Petrone), Susan Loftus , Peter Loftus and his wife Christine (neé Faber), Timothy Loftus, Patricia Loftus, Mark Loftus and his wife Marie (neé Jastrzembski), six grandchildren Meghan Loftus, Christine Loftus, Matthew Loftus, Ava Loftus, Katherine (neé Loftus) and Tyler Ringrose , William and Mackenzie (neé Amato) Loftus, John and Liza (neé Britton) Loftus, and four great grandchildren Otto Loftus, Clark Loftus, Adeline Ringrose and Emma Ringrose. There are many other nieces, nephews, cousins and other dear family members whom he loved.

Whenever he came from home from work, he would always call out, “Yoo hoo, I’m home!”, Yes Jack, you are now home.

In lieu of flowers and for those who desire, memorial donations may be made in John’s name to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, a charity that held special meaning.

VISITATION

Tuesday, August 18 4:00 - 8:00 PM

New Hyde Park Funeral Home 506 Lakeville Road, New Hyde Park, NY

FUNERAL MASS

Wednesday, August 19

10:00 AM

Incarnation R.C. Church

89-43 Francis Lewis Blvd., Queens Village, NY

INTERMENT

Calverton National Cemetery 210 Princeton Boulevard, Calverton, NY

DONATIONS

In lieu of flowers, please make donations in John's name to:

Society of St. Vincent de Paul

https://svdpli.org/make-a-one-time-donation/