John J. Sidor

John J. Sidor passed away unexpectedly on Monday, June 16, 2025, just one day shy of his ninety-first birthday. He was a longtime resident of Wayne.

Born in Jersey City, John was the oldest of John J. and Annie (Turker) Sidor’s three children. He was raised in Hoboken and after graduating from Demarest High School, he attended Seton Hall University.

As a young man, John managed an IGA grocery store in Lyndhurst. He later drove a truck for Sexton Food Service. As a driver, he would frequently take his little daughter Pamela with him in the truck. John also took Pam on rides on his motorcycle. She was just 3 years old and they’d ride for hours.

In 1953, John joined the United States Army, where he served with great pride and distinction from 1953 to 1957. Upon his honorable discharge, he continued to serve in the Army Reserve until 1990, meaning John’s service to his country spanned a total of 37 years! He retired as a Sergeant Major at the age of 56. His service as a reservist consisted of one weekend a month as well as two weeks in a row, three times a year. He primarily served as a drill sergeant and his work in the Army took him all over the country, with most of his time spent at Fort Dix in Lakehurst, NJ. There was probably no bigger part of John’s life than serving in the Army. You could say his blood flowed Army green. He even preferred going all the way to Tobyhanna, PA to shop at the Picatinny Commissary instead of his local grocery store. He’d boast about the great deals he could get there and quite frankly, he just loved the militaristic atmosphere. John was truly proud of his Army service and he beamed with pride when people saw his Sergeant Major stripes and saluted him.

After his full-time Army service ended, John took a job as a district manager with Burger King. A single father of his precious daughter Pamela, it was while working at Burger King that John met the true love of his life. Her name was Arlene Moran, and she was a cashier at the Hackensack location and a single mother of two young boys — Richard and James. At the time they met, John was 34 and Arlene was just 24. You could say that their relationship got off to a cold start. You see, they happened to meet on a day when that Burger King got robbed. The perpetrators locked all the employees in the freezer. Talk about a captive audience! They hugged each other to keep warm and that close encounter led to a flame-broiled relationship, a marriage proposal at a restaurant in Englewood, and a marriage ceremony before God, family, and friends on Saturday, January 19, 1974.

Married life for John and Arlene began in River Edge, where they stayed until moving to their present home in Wayne 45 years ago.

John’s favorite pastimes included cooking on his grill and camping at Otter Lake in the Pocono mountains of Pennsylvania. Camping started in a tent, progressed to a pop-up trailer, and ultimately to a twenty-seven-foot trailer. In the early days, that trailer was located on a lakeside campsite. It later became a permanent trailer on campsite “X-3.” Camping at Otter Lake was a longtime family tradition and, to this day, John’s kids have fond memories of campfires, roasted marshmallows, and even watching their father build cages around the hummingbird feeders to keep the bears from drinking all the sweet nectar.

John was also a very gifted painter. All you had to do was ask him to paint whatever you wanted, then leave him alone and watch the magic. Murals, nature scenes — you name it, John was a modern-day Picasso. At his campsite, he painted rocks to look like real turtles. Once he did that, his campsite became known as “Turtle Site” by all the other campers.

John was a man who treasured the love and presence of his family. For Halloween, he painted the most amazing pumpkins for all his grandchildren and, at Christmas, he was the go-to guy to put together all of their Christmas presents. Around his family, you’d never know he was the tough Army drill sergeant. They would describe him more as “funny” and “relaxed” and the guy who had fun going pumpkin picking and dancing in his living room. He was the “Poppy” who loved Charles Shulz’s Peanuts characters — especially Snoopy, and especially when Snoopy was imagining himself as the Red Baron. In fact, John had over fifty Snoopy Christmas Ornaments and, when it came to dancing, there was no more enjoyable sight than to watch him perform the Schroeder dance. John also loved his cat, whom he rewarded with the name “Killer” because Killer caught a mouse in his apartment.

After retiring from his position with Burger King, John took a job with the Wayne Township Board of Education as a bus driver. With his wife Arlene by his side as his school bus aid, John drove Bus 77 for the next twenty-one years, not retiring until he was 84 years old. The first 5 years he drove the big buses and after that he transitioned to the shorter buses for the special ed kids. He transported literally hundreds of kids during his final career and they all loved him! They even would invite him and Arlene to their summer barbecues. Of course, he went! After all, he loved those kids as much as they loved him.

Later in life, John put his faith in God. It meant a lot to him and, while he is no longer here, because of his faith, they know where John is. They bask in that comfort and they’ll always cherish the memories and the beautiful gift that he was until, sharing in his faith, they will see him again one day.

John was the beloved husband of Arlene (Moran) Sidor, blessed in marriage for 51 beautiful years. He was the loving father of Pamela and her husband Robert Reilly of Lake Ariel, PA, Richard Albolino of Wayne, and James and his wife Kerry Albolino of Stony Point, NY; adored “Poppy” of Jimmny Rivera, Jason Reilly, Melisa Reilly, Eaker Smith, Brittney Albolino, Kyle Albolino, Tyler Albolino, and Catrina Albolino; proud great-grandfather of Max Reilly, Alyssa Rivera, Ayden Finley, Alivia Finley, Savanna Rayner, and Aaron Albolino; and dear brother of Philip and his wife Sheila Sidor of Florida. John was predeceased by his parents — John J. Sidor and Annie (Turker) Sidor — and his sister Evelyn Jadevia.

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In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in John’s memory to:

Wounded Warrior Project

P.O. Box 758516

Topeka, Kansas 66675-8516

To download a mailable form CLICK HERE.

Donations can also be made by calling 855-448-3997.

Please be sure to indicate that your gift is in memory of John J. Sidor.