John B. Zahornacky

John B. Zahornacky, 85, of Blairsville, PA passed away on Monday, April 20, 2020 at his home.

John was raised by his grandparents John and Anna (Vishtock) Zahornacky on a working farm outside of Blairsville, PA. He was born December 7, 1934 in Harrisburg, PA.

He graduated from Blairsville High School, Class of 1952 where he was a star on the wrestling team.

In 1953 after graduation, John enlisted in the in the US Navy and spent three months in basic training at Bainbridge Naval Base in Maryland. He was scheduled to go to Korea but when the peace accord was signed, he was sent to Airman School in the Naval Air Branch in Norman, Oklahoma for basic indoctrination training. He was then ordered to Pensacola, FL where he had an additional four months of training in Aerial Photography. The Navy soon learned of John’s athletic abilities as a wrestling champion and asked John to officiate the first State Wrestling Championship held in 1954 in Pensacola, FL. The Navy then assigned John to the Photo Intelligence group in Washington, D.C.

Once stationed in Washington, he was assigned to create a model of the Sea of Tranquility on the Moon using high resolution images to create the topography that would be used for the first lunar landing in July of 1969. One of his additional responsibilities for the Navy was Radar Technology for making photographic plates for potential targets in the former Soviet Union.

In 1956, John (as an avid wrestler), won numerous wrestling championships culminating a championship win in the All Eastern Wrestling Naval Championship in 1956. John took a short leave from the Navy to return to Blairsville to marry his high school sweetheart, Teresa A Caruso at the S.S. Simon & Jude Catholic Church in Blairsville where he remained as a member until his passing. 1956 was a very dynamic year for John, as he was then assigned to Ford Island in Hawaii in Fleet Intelligence Branch. John had a Top-Secret Clearance and was told to never speak of what they worked on while he was there.

John was discharged from the Navy in 1957, where he then started to attend the University of Michigan on a Naval Wrestling Scholarship. He was there for only a year when he was forced to return to Blairsville to tend to his wife Teresa during her difficult pregnancy.

Upon returning to Blairsville, John became extremely active in the community and worked tirelessly to better the community of Blairsville through his involvement with many social services. Among Johns numerous accomplishments and involvements, he founded the Zahornacky Insurance Agency in Blairsville and then later relocated the business to Johnstown, PA until his retirement in 2009; a member of the Blairsville Rotary Club; a former president of the Blairsville Jaycees; a Blairsville Borough Councilman; founder of the Blairsville Municipal Authority serving as chairman of the COG(Coalition of Government between Blairsville and Indiana Boroughs); Blairsville-Saltsburg School Board Member; member of the ARIN Intermediate Unit for the School District; co-founder of the Junior Olympics Wrestling Program, along with Walter Carmo, which has now grown into a National Organization and now boasts over 250,000 members from all over the United States; and founder of the Indiana-Westmoreland County Leaders Exchange.

Additionally, John was a licensed single engine pilot, a licensed Real Estate Agent for both the State of Pennsylvania and California; founding member of the Unicorn Flying Club at Indiana Airport; board member of the Indiana County Airport Authority for the Jimmy Stewart Airport.

Surviving are his loving wife of 64 years, Teresa Ann (Caruso) Zahornacky whom he married February 11, 1956; two sons, Jon F. Zahornacky (Jen Li) of Santa Clara, CA and Gregory A. Zahornacky (Christine) of Daytona Beach, FL; three grandchildren, Jennifer Clower, Sean Zahornacky, and Alicia Zahornacky; three great grandchildren; a sister, Clara Conrad of Bakerton.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a half-brother, Marlin Heckman and a half-sister, Carolyn Hancock.

Due to the health concerns of COVID-19, services and interment will be private and held at the convenience of the family.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held at a later date.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Shoemaker Funeral Home, Inc., 49 N Walnut Street, Blairsville, PA 15717.

Memorial Contributions in John’s memory may be made to the Indiana County Humane Society at 191 Airport Rd, Indiana, PA 15701 or the American Diabetes Foundation at 112 Washington Pl #1520, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

To view the online obituary, sign the guest registry or send condolences, visit www.shoemakerfh-monuments. com