John “Jake” Giacobozzi went home to be with his Savior on September 16th as his family held him, telling him all the beautiful memories he had made, and singing his favorite worship songs. He leaves behind the love of his life Nancy (Kachadorian), his cherished three children Bethany (Clement), Joel Giacobozzi, and Faith (Chiumiento), his grandchildren Jacob, Josephine, Sofia, and Gianna, his son-in-laws Charles Clement and Allessandro Chiumiento, his sister Virgina (Crawford) who he loved dearly, and his loving brother Kevin Oneal, and countless people that relied on his quick whit, positive attitude, servant’s heart, and grace to pull them through the dark times.
Jake was born in Brighton to humble means. He went on to form a successful career at Raytheon. He was also a bartender, a soccer coach, a mechanic, and the single most handy human being to ever walk the face of the earth. If papa couldn’t fix it, nobody could. The most important job to him was being the best dad and “papa,” ever.
Dad lived his life like a crescendo, his love and impact growing with each passing year, culminating in a symphony of love, service, and compassion. Dad would always tell us to relentlessly search for the good in people. In his final days, he received calls from the nurses, doctors, office staff, technicians, and greeters at his hospitals in Florida and Boston. They went out of their way to call and FaceTime him to say they loved him. He knew each and every one of their stories. He was deeply invested in the trajectory of their lives despite their only overlap being the 5 minutes in a waiting room each time he came for an appointment. But, that time, to our dad, was precious, and they were human beings with a story that deserved his undivided attention. He would come home and tell us about their lives, that he was pulling for them, that he would give advice when asked, but ultimately, would just listen and make them feel heard. He did this for everyone, because he believed, with every fiber of his being, that PEOPLE MATTER. Their stories matter. Empathy, dad knew, starts with listening.
To know Jake was to love Jake. We have been humbled by him over the past two years- by his strength, his faith, his positivity, and his unwavering love for his wife, kids, family, and his God. We’ve watched how he handled the end of his life and have all commented that we would all fall short of his performance. We have work to do to live up to his example. Maybe that’s why we’re the ones left behind.
Our father would tell you that his strength and character was all a result of who he was as a follower of Jesus. We, as family, invite you to investigate who this man Jesus was, how He cared deeply for the broken, and comforted the broken-hearted. Reach out, ask questions, and reflect on how He has changed lives and conquered death.
While it crushes us to be apart from our dad now, we find comfort in knowing that he is up in heaven putting the finishing touches on our houses before waiting for us with a smile. We can’t wait to reunite with him and see what he’s done with the place.
In lieu of flowers or stuff my dad would have likely called a “waste of money” we ask that you intentionally perform an act of kindness in his honor. If you feel led, share the story with us at [email protected]. His legacy is spread throughout us all in the selfless acts we perform for others. Jake Giacobozzi was a simple man with a profoundly complex ability to love everyone he met and we will miss him dearly.
A celebration of life will be held on October 21st, at Watertown Evangelical Church, 182 Arlington St. Watertown, MA at 10:00a.m.