John E. Blachowski, 83, passed away on June1, 2026. John was born on April 1, 1943 in Chicago, Illinois to Sarah Nell (nee Rawlinson) and John A. Blachowski. He had an older sister. He graduated from Maine East Township High School in Park Ridge, Illinois in 1961. He attended the University of Kansas on a football scholarship for his freshman year. However, due to illness and other circumstances, he ultimately graduated from North Park College (now University) in Chicago in 1968. He applied for the Navy following graduation. While waiting to begin training, he worked for the Federal Aviation Administration in the Chicago area.

John began Aviation Officer Candidate School (AOCS) in Pensacola, Florida, in the spring of 1969. After 13 weeks, John was commissioned and received his Naval Flight Officer wings. He received additional training and then joined VW1 in Guam. Their job was to fly into Typhoons. John was the Radar Control Officer that guided the pilots into the eye. They would also spend time in Da Nang where they did airborne recon over the Gulf of Tonkin. When VW1 was decommissioned, John returned to Pensacola where he was an instructor. John received a number of medals for his service including two purple hearts. He was a proud Navy Vietnam Veteran.

Following the Navy, John joined Progress Lighting which took him to Denver, Colorado in 1980. Eventually, he started his own agency, Timberline Lighting, and represented a number of other companies along with Progress. In 1987, John met Sue Svanoe, a single mom with two teenage boys! They both had grown up in the North Chicago area, so they had that in common. They were married December 3, 1988.

John had a lifelong fascination of the wood-paneled automobile (the woodies). When he was young, he said that his uncle had a 1950 Ford Woodie, and they would go fishing in it! He loved that car! He joined the National Woodie Club in the '70's and was a member for over 50 years. From 1996-2000 he was the president of the club. He was also given their highest award, the Will O'Neil Award, for meritorious service to the NWC, in 2004.

John is survived by his wife, Sue B. Svanoe; sons, Joshua (Heather) Thompson and Jacob (Olivia) Thompson; grandchildren, Zachary (Jaelyn) Thompson, William and Hannah, Anastasia and Genevieve and great granddaughter Elane Marie. John will be remembered by all who knew him as the guy who knew all about airplanes and cars (especially the woodies!), a lover of a good joke with a great sense of humor, and a wonderful friend and family man. John loved his family and will be deeply missed by all!

A service to remember and honor John will be held at Ft. Logan National Cemetery, Denver, Colorado, on Friday, June 26, 2026, at 9:30 am, staging area B.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donation be made in his memory to the Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 1106, P.O. Box 441291, Aurora, Colorado 80044, if desired.