John Peter Meudt, age 89, passed away peacefully on November 24, 2025 in Hackettstown, NJ surrounded by the love of his children.

The son of Lillian E. and Henry A. Meudt, John grew up in Hollis, Queens with his brother and two sisters in a traditional German American family. He graduated from Holy Trinity Catholic High School in Brooklyn where he excelled in sports, playing both baseball and basketball. He went on to earn a degree in mathematics from St. Francis College, where he was a standout athlete for the St. Francis Brooklyn Terriers men’s basketball team and the Archon of Pi Alpha fraternity. Summers during his college years were spent driving a Pepsi Cola truck, delivering soda across Queens, Brooklyn and Long Island, which he later credited as one reason for his remarkable sense of direction.

He started his career teaching high school math, first at LaSalle Academy in lower Manhattan, then for three years between Roslyn Junior High School and Floral Park Memorial High School on Long Island, where he was also an active sports coach. In the mid-1960s he began working for Western Electric in Kearney, NJ in Information Technology in the early days of mainframe computers and software development.

He married Marlene Piretti in 1963, living first in Kew Gardens then in Astoria, Queens before having a house built in Succasunna, NJ and raising two sons and a daughter. After divorcing in the 1980s, he welcomed a son with his long-term partner, Karen Crook (Stewart).

His love of teaching never left him. After the Bell System breakup in the 1980s, he became an instructor for AT&T and Lucent Technologies in their Hopewell, NJ Corporate Education Center, training employees in C language, COBOL and other computer skills. He enjoyed being in front of the room, sharing stories and connecting with an audience. He retired in 1991, but continued to be employed as a contract worker for many years teaching computer education classes at locations across the U.S. and as far away as Japan and the Netherlands.

In 1997 he married the love of his life, Linda Randazzo, and together they shared 25 years of laughter and wonderful memories. They retired and built a home in St. James Plantation in Southport, North Carolina, which John described as the best years of his life. Sadly, Linda passed away in 2022 and John sold his home and returned to New Jersey to live closer to his children, residing in Cranes Mill senior community in West Caldwell.

John was a proud Marine, serving in the Marine Corps Reserves for 13 years and attaining the rank of Sergeant. He was passionate about his country and an active member of the American Legion veteran’s association. An early member of the New York Roadrunners Club, he was a lifelong athlete, competing in long distance race events and completing 21 marathons including the Marine Corps Marathon and the New York Marathon for 5 consecutive years.  After being sidelined by a knee injury, he took swimming lessons at the YMCA, persevering until he could swim ½ mile in the pool.  He enjoyed keeping in shape through physical activity and his love of gardening. When he was inside, the house was filled with the sound of classical music. However, most days you’d find him outside getting dirty while “mucking around” in his yard, maintaining his flowers and rose bushes.

John was compassionate and tender hearted, making friends wherever he went that he cherished throughout his lifetime. Deeply principled with a caring nature, he’ll be remembered for his integrity and dedication to family and friends, his many acts of kindness, and his amusing, dry wit storytelling.

He is survived by his siblings, Marianne Hogan, Katharine Bellois, and Henry F. Meudt, four children, Eric, Christine, Jonathan and James Maxmilian (Max), and two grandchildren, Jacqui and Sammy, as well as his step-children, Oretta Blaut and Heather MacMillan, and his step-grandchildren & great grand-children, Steven Randazzo, Michael McMillan, Paige McMillan, Theresa Loria, Joseph Loria Jr., Alianna Loria and Brayson Loria. He was predeceased by his beloved wife, Linda, in 2022 and his step-grandson, Mason Zonin, in 2021.

**A funeral mass will be held on Saturday, March 14th at 10:30 a.m. at St. Jude Thaddeus Church, 17 Mount Olive Road, Budd Lake, NJ followed by a 12:30 p.m. celebration of life at the American Legion (post #278), 119 US Highway 183, Stanhope, NJ. All friends and family are welcome.**

His remains will be interred in St. Charles Catholic Cemetery in Farmingdale, NY alongside his parents in a private family ceremony later in the week.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at [email protected] for the Meudt family.

Arrangements are by the Davis and Hepplewhite Funeral Home, 96 Main Street, Succasunna, NJ (973-584-7264),