Obituary: John G. Hunziker, of New London

Information and photo via Thomas L. Neilan & Sons Funeral Home

New London- John G. Hunziker, World War II and Korean War Veteran died peacefully at home on January 13th after a lengthy illness. He was born on July 7th 1927 to Rebecca Allen Hunziker and Elbert R. Hunziker in Binghamton, New York. He attended local schools and Syracuse University.

John enlisted in the US Navy following high school graduation and served at the end of World War II aboard the USS Woodworth in the Pacific and the USS Champlin. Following the war, he attended Syracuse University majoring in electrical engineering. He was recalled to active duty during the Korean War, was stationed at the submarine base in Groton, Ct and assigned to the YTB-548 whose primary mission was torpedo retrieval.

It was during this assignment that he met and later married his wife of 67 years, Anne Saunders at St. Mary’s Star of the Sea.John spent his entire career as a logistics engineer with General Electric, which spanned 41 years.

He began in Syracuse, New York, moved on to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and eventually Pittsfield, Massachusetts where he concentrated on government defense contracts and the ABM system. Upon retirement, the couple returned to New London and he joined the Red Cross, becoming a Disaster Assessment Specialist for ten years.

He was assigned to Hurricane Andrew, the San Francisco earthquake, and various other hurricane and tornado sites throughout the United States and Caribbean for a total of 18 assignments.

Throughout his life John was an active volunteer, rising to positions of leadership in each of the communities that he resided in, including President of the Young Republicans in Syracuse, New York, President of the Civitan in Pittsfield, Massachusetts and Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus Seaside Council 17.

He served as a Eucharistic Minister from 1964 until 2015 in churches across the country. Other volunteer positions included various political chairman positions for the RTC, helper to many Save Ocean Beach efforts and New London Beautification projects. He served on the Board of Appeals for the City of New London Tax Assessors office for many years.

John was member of the Friends of the Library, the Maritime Society, and the Guard Arts Center, The New London Elks 360, and the Holy Name Society at St Mary’s. He found great enjoyment in serving his community, loved to be with people and make positive contributions. A love of travel and family inspired him and his wife, Anne to travel the country, visiting a 49 states, missing Alaska, and many European countries, developing a great fondness for Ireland and Switzerland. His kind and generous spirit touched and will be remembered by many friends and family, near and far.

His mother, Rebecca, his father Elbert, a brother Richard and a sister Ann, predeceased him.He is survived by his wife Anne of sixty-seven years, a brother W. Robert (Patricia) of Delmar, New York, a daughter Kathleen (Philip) of Marblehead, Massachusetts, their children: Brian (Sara and great grandson, Jack), Julie, Jessica (John) and Caroline.A son David (Elizabeth) of Spotsylvania, Virginia and their sons: David, Jeremy, Peter, (and great grandson Keagan).The family would like to express their sincere appreciation to friends and family who supported John through his lengthy illness: Everett Munro, Gale Smith, Gail Brookover, Connie Saracouan, Sevil Lathrop, Zenaida Huacho, Jessica Geervliet, Margaret Cotnoir, Rosemary Dowsett, George and Monica Potts.A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday January 18, 2020 at 11 O’clock at St. Mary Star of the Sea Church, 10 Huntington Street New London.

Interment with military honors will follow in St. Mary Cemetery, New London. The family will receive relatives and friends from 4 to 7 pm on Friday January 17, 2020 at the Thomas L. Neilan & Sons Funeral Home 12 Ocean Avenue, New London. www.neilanfuneralhome.comIn lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Mary’s Star of the Sea Churchor Save Ocean Beach.