John Makuch

John Alex Makuch
July 21, 1947 – April 1, 2025

John Alex Makuch, of Denton, NC, passed away peacefully at the age of 77 on April 1, 2025. Born in Bridgewater, NJ, on July 21, 1947, John lived a full life of dedication, service, and love for his family.

John was a proud veteran, having served in the United States Navy for 20 years. During his time in the Navy, he served in Vietnam with the 3rd Marine Division, where his bravery and commitment to his country earned him the respect and admiration of his peers. After retiring from the Navy, John continued his service to his community with a second career at the Chesapeake Police Department in Virginia. While on the police force, he was a sharpshooter and a sniper on the SWAT Team.

John was a devoted husband to his wife of 58 years, Ann Katherine (Pichalski) Makuch, and a loving father to John Alex Makuch Jr. and Kimberly Makuch Leppert. He cherished his role as a grandfather to Alex Makuch, Michaelanne Makuch, Ian Leppert, and Izabel Leppert. His family was a source of pride and he loved spending time with them.

John craved excitement and it showed in both work and play. He loved hitting the road on his Harley-Davidson and he loved fishing. Whether it was deep sea or surf fishing in Oregon Inlet or fishing on the lake where he lived, he was always happy to throw in a line. He was a scuba diver, marathon runner, competitive shooter, and overall thrill seeker. John was also a talented musician who played a wide variety of instruments and could typically play them by ear. Mostly, he loved to laugh and to make others laugh, especially his grandchildren.

John’s legacy of service, love, and dedication will live on in the hearts of all who knew him. He is preceded in death by his parents, John Makuch and Ruby Eileen (Mitchell) Makuch, brothers Henry Makuch and Ronald Makuch, and his sister Carol Ann (Makuch) Woods. enHHH