John S. Cebak

October 13, 1941 - December 13, 2016

John S. Cebak, age 75 years, of Ringoes, NJ, died on Tuesday, December 13, 2016 at the Hunterdon Care Center, Raritan Township, NJ.

Born in Paterson, NJ, October 13, 1941, son of the late John and Felice Chardon Cebak, he had resided in Ringoes since 2003 having lived the majority of his life in Allendale, NJ. Growing up in a large, but close knit family, John was particulary devoted to his parents and their welfare. There are many fond memories of the family spending time “down the shore” at Seaside Park and Ocean City, NJ.

A 1959 graduate of Ramsey High School, John went on to receive a B.S. in Business from Fairleigh Dickinson University, Teaneck, NJ. He was the owner and operator of Maude Randolph School Photography for many years. John was well respected in his profession and his work ethic inspired many.

When reflecting on John’s life, it can be said that he devoted his life to service to his family, his church, the Boy Scouts of America and numerous other community organizations. Always bringing a smile to others faces, John had a special quality of bringing good humor and light heartedness to everyone in all situations.

His particular commitment to volunteering and mentoring young men in the Boy Scouts, particularly Troop #59 in Allendale, NJ, resulted in life long friendships and his being inducted into the Order of the Arrow.

A devout Roman Catholic, John was deeply involved in volunteering extensive time for whatever his parish family needed; he was a longtime member of the Guardian Angel Church in Allendale as well as a faithful communicant of St. Magdalen Church, Flemington, NJ.

All lives have a story to tell, and all good stories have a purpose and message. Whom we serve is more important than what we achieve. John has played a part in God’s epic story of life, and he did it well. “This is what the Lord asks of you, only this, to act justly, to love tenderly, and walk humbly with your God.” ~Micah 6:8

Surviving are a sister and brother-in-law, Anne and Frank Blom; a brother and sister-in-law, Jim Cebak and Nancy Darbro; a nephew, Kevin Blom and his wife, Heather Daly; a nephew, Eric Blom; a great nephew, Eli Blom; his cousins, Penny and Scott Barnes, JoAnn Cebak, Susan and Ron Fiorilla, Ellen and Ron Tullo, Mary and Jim Bloom; as well as many other cousins, extended family and cherished friends.

A Mass of Christian Burial officiated by Rev. Timothy Christy and concelebrated by Rev. Joseph Kabali, will take place Friday, December 16, 2016 at 10:30 a.m. in St. Magdalen Church, 105 Mine Street, Flemington, NJ 08822 under the care and direction of Wright & Ford Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 38 State Highway 31, Flemington, NJ.

Interment will be private in St. Magdalen Mausoleum and there are no calling hours. Everyone is kindly asked to meet directly at the church on Friday morning.

Please visit John’s permanent memorial site at www.wrightfamily.com to send a public or private message of condolence and to share stories and photographs of his life.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in John’s name may be made to St. Magdalen Church at the above address, Guardian Angel Church, 320 Franklin Turnpike, Allendale, NJ 07401, the Floodwood Mountain Scout Reservation, P.O. Box 251, Lake Clear, NY, 12945 or to the charity of your choice.

John S. Cebak, age 75 years, of Ringoes, NJ, died on Tuesday, December 13, 2016 at the Hunterdon Care Center, Raritan Township, NJ. Born in Paterson, NJ, October 13, 1941, son of the late John and Felice Chardon Cebak, he had resided in Ringoes since 2003 having lived the majority of his life in Allendale,Continue Reading

See Condolences

My sincerest condolences to the family. I came across my Troop 59 1st Class Scout Card 1968 in an old box in the attic and it brought back a bunch of great memories of Allendale and the Boy Scouts Then I thought about John Cebak, our Scout Leader, we never called him John, he was just "Knocky" I made it to Star Scout before I moved to Chicago(our family moved alot) I just know I would of gone on to Eagle Scout if I stayed because of Knocky, truly! He was such a prize of a man,a true leader, he inspired me greatly, I'm 67 years old now and I just found out he had passed in 2016, I am so sad, I was going to try to send him a note similiar to this one and I am so sad he is gone but his gift still remains in me and I can still hear his voice to his Troop of Boys as we were strapping our 100 lb packs to our back as he lead us up the mountain trail....LET'S GO!...LET'S GO !

Ann & Jimmy - This was a shock, I would like to to be able to correspond with either of you

Hi my name is Eric. I just want to start off by saying how deeply sorry I am for your loss. I can't even imagine what you're feeling. I know sometimes when dealing with great emotion it might be difficult to say something that might actually console a grieved relative or friend, but what I take solace is what the Holy Scriptures tell us about the future hope held out for our deceased loved ones. In Revelations 21:3,4 it speaks about a time when mourning and even death will be no more. Coupled with John 5:28,29- where Jesus himself speak about a resurrection and you can begin to see the awesome implications for your dear departed loved one. I hope these scriptures bring you measure of relief as they did me.

To John's family, I want to extend my sympathy on the loss of this kind and dear man. Pray to God for help and comfort during this time of sorrow. The warm memories you have of John will always be a part of you. 2Corinthians 1:3,4

My sincere sympathy to the Cebak family. I knew John through Bob Tremitiere. He was a real gentleman.

Peace of mind is a call away. We’re here when you need us most.

John and I met in grade school and became good friends in Boy Scouts. We remained good friends for the rest of his life. John was one of the finest people I have known. Kind, humble, and a great sense of humor. He led Troop 59 longer than anyone before him. He will be greatly missed.

Since 1949, John and I were neighbors, Scouts, Leaders and Friends and have kept in touch ever since. We shared many experiences together. He will be missed.

For as long as I have been teaching (24 years and counting) John has ALWAYS been there too. I got used to seeing him at school twice a year - once in the Fall for individual pictures and once in the Spring for class pictures. John always had a patient demeanor (especially with the adults...who could try anyone's patience!) and his sense of humor was appreciated by all.

Knock, you will be missed and remembered by so many scouts. Camp outs, hikes, canoe trips, beach trips, work projects, Philmont, Floodwood, and so many more wonderful memories. We learned so much from you! We knew we could count on you! You made all our lives better! Go in peace.

What a great man. Every time I ran into John in Allendale, he asked about my boys. He always remembered what I last told him about where they were and what they were doing. He was always so humble about his continued involvement in our little town. I have some great school and swim teams photos of my kids that he took. I will miss his smile and warm personality.

John was one of those special individuals that always thought of others first I've known John for at least 30 years and he'll be dearly missed

John was a wealth of Scouting history and knowledge. He was such a great resource, and I really appreciate his willingness to share stories, pictures, and items from the past. I am really glad I got the opportunity to hear his stories.

I've known and admired John for 40 years, having been one of the thousands of Scouts he inspired. A person with more integrity, patience, gentleness and humility would be hard to find. I often reflect on the person I've become and been extraordinarily grateful for John and his wonderful example. He's among the handful of people who influenced me most positively. When asked about the mission of the organization he established, Baden Powell, Scouting's founder, said nothing about camping or knot tying. Scouting's purpose, he said, was to bring men of strong character into association with boys of great promise. He must have envisioned someone precisely like John Cebak.

A friend and mentor to so many of us over the years. I learned so much about leadership, hard work, and kindness from Knock. He was the most selfless person I have ever known.

A true friend to our family. He was a partner with my Dad in school pictures and my Mom babysat for him when he was a toddler. Great man all around. Very sad.

Incredibly sorry hear of Knock's passing. I knew him as my Scoutmaster, a neighbor and later, as a customer at my business, but most importantly as a friend. He willingly gave so much more than he ever got back. A true gentleman.

My sincerest condolences go out to John's family. I didn't know him very well but being a former Assistant Scoutmaster from Troop 308 in Waldwick, I knew of him through Scouting events and my former Scoutmaster Bernie Kaplan. He was a great guy and did awesome things for the boys in his troop and members of the community.

I have know John since I was in kindergarten when he would take all the Allendale school pictures. I also worked with him at the Boy Scouts the last 8 years. He was a great man. He will always be special to me. John you will truly be missed by many. God bless.

Please accept our deepest condolences for your family's loss.