John Weissert
With great sadness, the family of John Albert Weissert Jr., 87, of Orange City, Fla., announces his passing from an apparent heart attack May 29, 2020.
He is survived by his wife, Valerie of Orange City, Fla.
He is also survived by six children, John David Weissert (Kathleen) of Kalamazoo, Mich., Susan Finn Wilson (Keith) of Knoxville, Md., James Jeffrey Weissert (Kathleen) of Mars, Timothy Eric Weissert (Loretta) of Longview, Texas, Sherry Lynn Rennard (Pete) of Seal Beach, Calif., and William Richard Weissert (Rebekah) of Williamsville, N.Y.
He is also survived by 17 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren; as well as many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Elsie Jean (Morrow) and John Albert Weissert Sr.; and his sisters, Elsie Jean Clayton, Joanne Etter and Carolyn Phipps.
He was also preceded in death by his grandchildren, Brandon Yarbrough and Kaitlyn Wilson.
John was very proud of his family. To each of them, he passed along his strong work ethic, appreciation of good food, especially garlic and onions, and his boundless energy. He had a zest for life, which he demonstrated right up to his last days.
John graduated from high school in Mars in 1950.
In 1963, he relocated to Rochester, N.Y., where he worked his way up in the construction industry. Not only was he loyal and incredibly hard working, John was very bright and became a valuable asset to the companies for whom he worked.
He was with Martini Construction for several years before going to work for Harris Corp., where he was a superintendent on large construction jobs, including a 3-year project in Nigeria.
Back in Rochester, he went to work for LeChase Construction, where he continued to be an important part of the business, until he finally retired at age 79. Throughout his career, John, or “JAWS” as he was affectionately known to all in the industry, earned a reputation as a tough boss who would do anything it took to meet a deadline and get the job done right. According to Wayne LeChase, he was a mentor to countless young potential superintendents and made them what they are today. His signature is on many top-notch construction projects throughout the state of New York, as well as internationally. He was a dynamic presence to all who worked with him and became his friends, and he will be sorely missed.
Everyone who knew John can recall his wicked sense of humor and appreciation for a good practical joke. He also loved to throw a party, and no one could do steamed clams or a turkey fry like John Weissert. His parties were always over the top, with plenty of good food, drinks, and of course lots of laughs. He loved to read and could often be found in his recliner chair with a dog in his lap and a book in his hands.
If you ever saw John in his garden, you know this was his happy place. He and Val grew the most delicious tomatoes, peppers, garlic, lettuce and collard greens; the list can go on and on. They grew beautiful flowers all over their yard in Rochester, and he was always delighted to show visitors all around the property. Some of his happiest days in retirement were spent harvesting vegetables from the garden and canning them with Val to use throughout the cold winter months. John was a true farmer at heart. He loved to work the land.
John was a loyal and dear friend to many, and the next time you enjoy a quiet moment of reflection, think of him and raise your glass. He lived a good, long life.
WEISSERT — Memorial services for John Albert Weissert Jr., who died Friday, May 29, 2020, are pending, and are tentatively being planned for early autumn in Mars and Rochester, N.Y.
John was a dog lover and in lieu of flowers, he would have appreciated a donation to the dog rescue of your choice.
