GIRARD, Ohio (MyValleyTributes) – John J. Sotirovich, 72 of Girard, passed away on Wednesday, August 30, 2023 at Hospice House surrounded by his family.

John was born July 26, 1951 in Youngstown, Ohio, a son to the late Milan and Ann (Cvetkovich) Sotirovich.

John was a 1969 graduate of Girard High School and attended four years of vocational school for his millwright card.

He started working at Commercial Shearing and Stamping for 18 years and later went to work for Easco Aluminum and Vinyl Source where he would retire.

John was a parishioner of St. Rose Church. He was a CCD teacher at St. Rose for 20 years and was lunchroom dad. He touched the lives of many kids during his time teaching there.

John and his family spent many years at Pymatuning State Park in Pennsylvania camping. John and his friends that were known as the “over the hill gang”, would ride their mopeds all around the Pymatuning Lake area. John and his family had many great memories camping and will forever be cherished by John’s family.

John leaves to cherish his memory his wife of 46 years, Barbara “Barbie” (Kent) Sotirovich, who he married May 21, 1977; a son, John (Bree) Sotirovich of Girard; sisters, Sylvia (Robert) Bahr, Nancy (Stuart) Rothstein and Mary (Daniel) Arredondo; brothers, James Sotirovich and David (Sally) Sotirovich; along with his granddaughters, Harlow and Olivia.

A memorial Mass will be held on Friday, September 8, 2023 at 5:30 p.m. at St. Rose Church in Girard.

The family suggest that memorial contributions be made to The National Kidney Foundation: www.kidney.org, in honor of John.

Arrangements handled by Blackstone Funeral Home. Visit www.blackstonefuneralhome.com to send any expressions of sympathy to the Sotirovich family. 

A television tribute will air Wednesday, September 6, at the following approximate times: 7:10 a.m. on FOX, 12:22 p.m. on WKBN, 5:08 p.m. on MyYTV and 7:27 p.m. on WYTV. Video will be posted here the day of airing.