Obituary: John Baldoni – 1944-2021

John Baldoni

John Baldoni of Old Saybrook, died on November 23rd from the long-term effects of Covid 19 which he had contracted in February. 

Johnny was raised around cars. His father owned the Ford Garage in town and the attraction of a lot full of cars was often too much to resist for a restless 15-year old boy; a car would be missing from the lot only to turn up sometime later with a few more miles on it, and occasionally a scratch or two.

He graduated from Boston University in 1967 with a major in journalism; he worked on a local newspaper on the Cape where he was also the paper’s photographer. Upon returning to Connecticut, he started Madison Leasing, specializing in high-end cars. He was a fan of Formula One and each year, with friends Norm Rutty and John Pandiani, would embark on a long weekend trip to Canada to follow the race. He also attended other races during the year; at one he had the opportunity to drive a car around a track and, as he pointed out, not at 180 miles per hour.

Johnny’s interests were wide and varied and he could recall facts and data about any topic, and that along with a great sense of humor, made him fun to be around. He easily made friends–it was an ever-widening circle–wherever he went and he stayed in touch with everyone. He was a life-long, caring friend who could always be counted on. If you knew Johnny, you know that we often had to peel him off the ceiling after he had watched the nightly evening news.

On his many trips to hospitals, he was a favorite of doctors and nurses; he had a cheerful, easygoing disposition, no matter the treatment. As a lung transplant recipient, with its complications from day one, and now with Covid added to the mix, he had many ‘close calls’ over the intervening years. He was dubbed Lazarus at Yale New Haven, and medical students came in to see this surviving patient with his three volume medical history. He started monthly get-togethers with other lung recipients in the area; they would share common issues, encourage, commiserate and help each other during often difficult times.

Johnny loved and was devoted to his two sons, Eric and Marco. Eric lives in Tucson and Johnny’s visits often included a fix-it project that he liked to undertake; however, by the time he left, it would often be less fixed-  than when he arrived. One cross-country road trip with Marco and his wife, Marcia, became an epic adventure every mile along the way.

The lung transplant that Johnny received gave us sixteen more precious years with him. On the anniversary of his surgery, we always think of the grief and heartache of the family who, even at that difficult time, made the decision to donate their family member, knowing that this great gift would save lives. We hope that you will become a donor by checking the ‘donor’ box when renewing your license, putting your wishes in your living will and discussing your plans with your family.

Johnny is survived by his grieving sons, Eric and his wife Alexis, and Marco and his wife Marcia.  He leaves his two heartbroken sisters, Joan Kariko and her husband Attila of Worcester, MA, and Nancy Baldoni of Old Saybrook. It is sad to know that we will now be in a world without Johnny,  but we each have our wonderful memories and they will carry us through. We thank the many of you for your prayers and kind loving thoughts throughout this trying time.