John Paul Wokanovicz, age 95, the beloved husband of the late Catherine Willett Wokanovicz, with whom he enjoyed 63 years of marriage, passed away peacefully on January 11, 2026. He was born at home in Fairfield to the late Joseph and Agnes (Burnat) Wokanovicz and was a lifelong resident before moving to The Villages, Florida in 2010.
He was a fun-loving man who had a great sense of humor, was quick with a joke, and loved to entertain.
John graduated from Roger Ludlowe High School in 1948. He then began his career in the US Postal Service as a letter carrier, working his way through the ranks to become the longtime Postmaster in Westport. He retired from the postal service after 42 years as the Director of Field Operations for Northeastern CT. John went on to earn his broker’s license, selling real estate for several years. He proudly served in the US Army during the Korean war and was lucky enough to go on a military honor flight to Washington D.C. in 2017.
Above all, he was a devoted family man. He is survived by his loving sons, Robert (Kim) of Shelton, Kenneth (Lisa) of Fairfield and David (Maureen) of Shelter Cove, California. He loved being Pop to his cherished grandchildren: Erika, Lauren, Kevin, Kai, and step-grandchildren, Sean and Alexandra. He also leaves behind his niece, Megan with whom he shared a special relationship, along with many other nieces, nephews and friends.
In addition to his beloved wife, John was predeceased by 3 brothers, Edward, Thomas, his twin brother Joseph, and 2 sisters, Rose Hojnowski and Edith.
A Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, January 23, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 149 South Pine Creek Road, Fairfield, where he was a devoted parishioner for many years. Interment with Military Honors will be held prior to the Mass at 10:00 a.m. at Oak Lawn Cemetery, 1530 Bronson Road, Fairfield.
In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made in John’s honor to the Praeder-Willi Syndrome Association: https://www.pwsausa.org, the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation: https://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org, or the Disabled American Veterans: https://help.dav.org.