John H. Regan

John “Jack” Regan, age 80, of Cleveland, Ohio, passed away peacefully with his family by his side on October 11, 2022.  Born and raised in Bridgeport, Conn., Jack grew up in one of seven houses that had previously served as the winter quarters for members of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus on Atlantic Street.  He was a member of the first graduating class of Notre Dame High School in Fairfield, spent barefoot summers at Lordship Beach, and winters ice skating on a makeshift pond at Seaside Park compliments of the local fire department.  Jack proudly served in the U.S. Navy during which the Cuban Missile Crisis and the assassination of President John F. Kennedy occurred.  After being honorably discharged, Jack got a job at a bank where he met Ingrid Johnson who he later married and raised a family.  Jack and Ingrid were happily married for more than 52 years and served as exceptional role models for their children in what a happy, dedicated marriage looked like and how to lovingly raise a family.  After starting their married life in Connecticut, Jack and Ingrid moved their family to Cleveland where he carried out his working years in retail management.  A staunch fan of local sports, Jack thoroughly enjoyed watching Cleveland Indians, Cleveland Browns, and Ohio State University football games.  Among his many loving characteristics were his patience, mellow demeanor and tenacity, even while working through significant life challenges. 

Jack was preceded in death by his loving wife, Ingrid, parents Edward and Anna Regan, and nephew James Kelleher.  He will be dearly missed by his family and is survived by his five children Kimberly (Alan J. Tarnowski), John (Patricia), Michael (Kimberly), James (Cara Gartman), Jacquelyn (John Bias), his sister Anne and brother-in-law Vincent Callahan of North Haven, Conn. He is the loving grandfather of Carissa, Amanda, Matthew, Jacob, Haley, Elijah, Alex, Brianna, Kevin, Kalobe, Alyssa, Kobe, and Meadow, great-grandfather to Aubree and Regan, as well as nieces and nephews Kathleen Rotondo (Marc), Eileen Callahan (Robert Reed), Timothy (Dawn), and Mary Kelleher.  Military Honors will be held at Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery on October 31, 2022 at 11:15 AM. 

Condolences to the family can be made at https://www.clevelandcremation.com/obituaries-for-cleveland-cremation/.  Memorial contributions can be made in Jack’s name to Wounded Warrior Project at https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/donate