John Chang

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of John Chang, age 75 of Wayne. John passed away peacefully on Thursday, July 25, 2024, after a long and courageous battle with cancer while receiving the loving care of his family.  

John was born in Woodland, California to Joe and Sally Chang and raised in Dixon, California, the oldest of four children.  As a young man he attended Dixon High School, where he excelled in academics and was Salutatorian of his graduating Class of 1967.  Following his graduation from high school, John attended the University of California San Diego located in La Jolla, California.  While at UCSD, John studied Economics and Psychology.  After earning his Bachelor’s degree, he enrolled in the Ph.D. program at Rutgers University in Psychobiology.

John had a long, successful career in computer and software sales working for Wang Laboratories in Rutherford, New Jersey and later, LogicWorks in Princeton, New Jersey.  He earned acclaim for his exceptional ability to drive sales and forge lasting client relationships. Throughout the years, John was awarded vacations to exotic destinations like Bermuda and Hawaii for being a top salesman, a testament to his talent and work ethic.  More recently, he worked alongside his parents and siblings in a family-owned business on the West Coast.

While in the doctoral program at Rutgers University in 1973, John met an attractive young lady, a fellow classmate by the name of Karen Garlinsky. John was instantly smitten.  As fate would have it, they fell in love and on June 19, 1977, they exchanged wedding vows and became husband and wife.  The newlyweds settled in Highland Park, New Jersey, where they resided for about a year.  While living there, they welcomed their first child, their son, Jonathan.  The family then moved to Somerset, New Jersey, where they welcomed their second child, their daughter, Alissa.  As John’s family grew, they made the move to Wayne, New Jersey in 1987, where they have been ever since and raised their children.  John was very proud of his children and was a great supporter of all their endeavors. He attended countless tennis matches, soccer games, dance recitals, performances, and award ceremonies.  He was known to assist (and secretly enjoy) working on his children’s school projects. John always encouraged his children to work hard in school and do their best, and he was so proud of his two Boston College Eagles. He and Karen enjoyed frequently visiting their children while they were away at school.

John found joy in the simple pleasures of life and also held a genuine spark of intuitive thinking. He delighted in flying radio-controlled airplanes, skillfully maneuvering them through the skies and building and painting RC cars and working on real ones. John would also spend countless hours tinkering with gadgets, always eager to understand how they worked and find inventive ways to enhance their functionality.  John was known to be able to fix anything and everything for his friends and family. He treasured extensively decorating his home for Christmas and Halloween, festively transforming the inside and outside for his family and neighbors to enjoy.  His 4th of July celebrations were legendary. John was a car enthusiast and also reveled in the thrill of riding his Ninja motorcycle, embracing the exhilaration and freedom it brought on the open roads. But John also found solace in gardening later in his life, planting and nurturing a variety of trees and plants on his property.  John also enjoyed cooking for his family.  His BBQ ribs, tacos, shrimp cocktail, scampi, breakfasts, and popcorn were legendary.

Although John had many interests and hobbies, his greatest passion was for his family.  Nothing in the world meant more to John than spending time with his wife, children, and his precious grandchildren, whom he adored. His greatest joy in life were his grandchildren, who instantly brought a smile to John’s face - even in the toughest times.  John enjoyed caring for his grandchildren and delighted in sharing his love for his hobbies and knowledge with them.  He greatly enjoyed visiting the beach and treasured flying kites and watching the fireworks with them by his side.  John's grandchildren will remember him as the best "Papa" in the world.  John will be greatly and immeasurably missed by his family.

With the unending support of his loving wife, John bravely and successfully fought pancreatic cancer over 11 years ago. When he was re-diagnosed over two years ago, John’s incredible will, determination, and strength was again an inspiration to many. He maintained a strong “mind over matter” mindset and never gave up.

Between his bouts with cancer, John enjoyed two wonderful, long trips with his family to visit his mother in California. He showed his grandchildren his hometown growing up, visited the most delicious dim sum restaurants in San Francisco, and happily joined his grandchildren for several days in Disneyland, where he enjoyed every minute and hoped to go again. 

John and his wife Karen cherished forty-seven years of loving and loyal marriage together.  John will forever be remembered as a truly devoted husband, father, and grandfather.  He touched the lives of everyone around him, was a true one of a kind, and will be sincerely missed by his family and friends.

John is survived by his wife Karen Chang (nee Garlinsky) of Wayne; his son Jonathan Chang and his wife Amy of Cape Elizabeth, ME; his daughter Alissa Bain and her husband Andrew of Wayne; his adoring four grandchildren Jonah, Amelie, Anna, and Charlotte; his siblings, Bob, Linda, and Grace; uncles, aunts, cousins, brothers and sisters-in-law, and many nieces and nephews, whom he loved dearly. John was predeceased by his parents, Joe and Sally Chang.

In lieu of flowers, donations in John’s name may be made to New York Presbyterian Hospital - Pancreatic Cancer Research and Gift Fund