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As John was a bachelor in those early days of law school,
his social exploits and general success with the fairer sex were
often envied by those poor married souls whose time of flirtation
and bachelorhood had been snuffed out with the simple words
of "I do." Even John's male peers acknowledged that John was
a handsome man with a great head of hair! His good looks were
amplified by his positive personality and great sense of humor,
all of which combined made for a very successful bachelor.

John's clients all liked him a great deal and thought of him as
a friend and counselor, often even before thinking of him as their
lawyer. Because John did easily what many attorneys struggle
with...he truly counseled his clients. He didn't simply "take the
case," file a petition to get him into court and then let the chips
fall where they may. Instead, he counseled the client as to the
best course of action, always with an eye towards what was right,
fair and just.

John was a talker ... sometimes. What was refreshing was
that he would not talk about himself. He would talk about his
family, the sports teams that he loved, and he would talk about
others. He never would disparage another, neither friend nor
another lawyer. Although family law cases which John would be
involved with could bring the worst out of clients and opposing
lawyers, he would never criticize either the client or the lawyer.
He was always practicing his Catholic faith - love one another.
This attitude came back to him as no one, to our knowledge, ever
said a bad word about John, the husband, the father, the friend,
the lawyer.

John knew when to end the work day and how to separate
his professional life from his personal and private life, which
included volunteering as a referee for many youth athletic events.
John would often disappear in the back room of the office and
change into his referee gear, ending his professional day with yet
another obligation that he shouldered joyfully.

One thing John was ready, willing and able to talk about was
his son Brian and his military service. He was very proud of
his son, his Navy service and his determined effort to become
a Navy Seal. Although Brian's mom Michele was not all that
happy about Brian's desire, John was always ready to tell his
listener exactly what Brian was doing and how proud he was of
his son and his service to his country. John was also especially
proud of his princess, Kerri. He was a doting father to her
and proud to have her on his arm at all of the father/daughter
functions he attended, showing pictures to everyone afterward.
One word that may describe John was devotion. That could
be seen in his love and care for his mother, who passed only a
year before him; in his care and coaching of "his" kids... not only
Brian and Kerri, but all those high school and college athletes
that he coached through the years; his clients, whom he cared
about greatly and always provided a firm guiding hand through
their difficulties; and of course, to his beloved wife Michele.
John lived by the old saying "There are no strangers, only
friends I haven't yet met." From the first introduction, he treated
every colleague as a long-lost friend. Every call to his office
to discuss a case ended with a discussion of whatever was
important to you and to mutual interests. Even if months passed
between conversations, he would pick right up where he left
off, remembering the details of the last conversation as if it took
place the day before. John made everyone feel like they mattered
to him, like you were more than just a colleague. And everyone
felt the same about him. John was one of the "good guys."
When John asked you how you were doing he really meant it;
he enjoyed the simple pleasures of sharing life experiences,
especially sharing stories with his lawyer friends, both old
and new.

John was the type of individual who always gave back to the
community and was a people person. As an attorney, John served
the people he represented with compassion unlike few others.
Although he cared about the law, he clearly cared more about the
people that he represented and always had time for his clients
regardless of the amount of money that they were able to pay.
John gave his time willingly and often without worrying about
how or when he would be paid. John was involved with many
activities with the Bar Association and gave his time and legal
expertise freely to many groups, including Legal Aid, Domestic
Abuse Project and the Women's Resources Group. John's
commitment to the community and the people that he served was
never more evident than when he received the Pennsylvania Bar
2015 Pro Bono award for his services.
Sophocles said, "It is a task of a good man to help those in
misfortune." John epitomized those simple, but profound words.
He was, at his core, a good man, and he performed his tasks
admirably and joyfully.

Godspeed to one of the Good Guys. We will miss him.

AND NOW, this Memorial Committee moves that this
resolution be adopted by the Delaware County Bar Association,
made part of its minutes, and presented to the Court with copies
being given to his wife and children. *
Respectfully Submitted:
Susan S. Sachetta, Esquire
Co-Chairman
Heather Douglass, Esquire

Hon. Barry C. Dozor

Kathryn L. Hilbush, Esquire

Colleen M. Neary, Esquire

Teresa A. Mallon, Esquire

Kathryn A. Meloni, Esquire

Richard A. Mitchell, Esquire

Kristen M. Rushing, Esquire

Thomas Sachetta, Esquire
Co-Chairman

Spring 2018

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